Dragnet: The Big Mustache 03/23/1954

Summary

Summary of "Dragnet: The Big Mustache" Episode

Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
Episode: Dragnet: The Big Mustache
Original Air Date: March 23, 1954
Release Date: April 8, 2025
Host/Author: Choice Classic Radio

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Introduction

"Dragnet: The Big Mustache" is a captivating episode that delves into the meticulous investigation of a supermarket robbery in Los Angeles. Hosted by Choice Classic Radio, this episode showcases the procedural brilliance of Detective Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner, Frank Smith, as they unravel the mystery behind a cleverly disguised thief.

The Robbery

The story begins early in the morning at a local supermarket where a robbery has occurred. Detective Joe Friday (voiced by Jack Webb) arrives at the scene, greeted by his partner Frank Smith (played by Ben Alexander). The store manager, Tom Spence, and cashier, Irma Watson, provide the initial testimonies.

Tom Spence shares, “[00:57] I unlocked the door and we all came in. The man did, too. Just walked right in.”

Irma Watson adds, “[06:53] First thing I saw of him was when I parked my car out in the lot. Guy was standing right by the side door.”

The suspect, described as a man with a distinctive mustache contrasting his light-colored hair, entered the store wielding a gun. He demanded the money be placed in a wooden box and threatened violence if his instructions were not followed.

Initial Investigation

Detective Friday and Sergeant Smith commence their investigation by collecting evidence and interviewing the victims. They note the suspect's unusual disguise—a large mustache that seemed out of place and possibly altered with substances like shoe polish or grease.

As Joe Friday inquires, “[10:30] He was about 5ft...”

The detectives gather conflicting license plate numbers from the victims, complicating the investigation. Despite their efforts, fingerprints and additional leads initially prove unfruitive.

Identifying the Suspect

The breakthrough comes when Tom Spence recalls seeing someone matching the suspect's description within the store's staff. Upon reviewing the store's records, he identifies the suspect as Jed Ellsworth, an employee currently on a leave of absence due to ulcers.

Tom Spence exclaims, “[15:35] That's him. I'm sure of it.”

Further inquiries reveal that Ellsworth had recently quitted his job and had associations with Larry Jessup, a known individual with a history of burglary and auto theft.

The Stakeout

Detective Friday and Sergeant Smith, along with their team, organize a stakeout at the address provided by Larry Jessup. They meticulously monitor the premises, eventually spotting Jed Ellsworth attempting to flee.

Joe Friday narrates, “[26:40] Come on. Hey, he sees us. Jeb.”

A confrontation ensues where Ellsworth is apprehended without further incident. The thoroughness of the investigation, from analyzing wooden boxes to tracking rental car information, underscores the procedural accuracy of the Los Angeles Police Department depicted in the episode.

Resolution and Conviction

Jed Ellsworth is promptly tried and convicted of robbery in the first degree. The episode concludes with a clear depiction of the legal repercussions, affirming the integrity and effectiveness of law enforcement.

Narrator: “[28:26] Warren Ellsworth was tried and convicted of robbery in the first degree and received sentence as prescribed by law.”

Notable Quotes

• Frank Smith: “[03:08] About 10 minutes.”
• Joe Friday: “[05:07] I don't want you to go through the whole day with this on your mind. But if you don't get to the point, there'll be time for us to sign out and talk about.”
• Irma Watson: “[16:11] Jed wouldn't let nobody take pictures of him. Said it was bad luck.”
• Larry Jessup: “[23:00] I got nothing to hide.”

Conclusion

"Dragnet: The Big Mustache" is a quintessential example of classic detective storytelling, emphasizing thorough investigation, attention to detail, and the unwavering commitment of police officers to uphold justice. Through engaging dialogues and realistic procedural elements, the episode offers listeners an immersive experience into the world of old-time radio detective dramas.

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Credits:
Script by John Robinson
Music by Walter Schumann
Hal Gibney speaking

Technical Advice:
Chief of Police W.H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department Technical Advisors.

Cast:
Jack Webb as Joe Friday
Ben Alexander as Frank Smith
Ralph Moody as Tom Spence
June Whitley as Irma Watson

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For more enthralling old-time radio detective stories, subscribe to Choice Classic Radio on Facebook and YouTube. Support the series by donating at ChoiceClassicRadio.com.

Transcript

[Joe Friday]

Your message amplified. Ready to share your message with the world? Start your podcast journey with Podbean. Podbean. Podbean. Podbean. Podbean the AI powered all in one podcast platform. Thousands of businesses and enterprises trust Podbean to launch their podcasts. Launch your podcast on Podbean today. My school uses Podbean. My church too. I love it. I really do.

[Frank Smith]

Welcome to Choice Classic Radio where we bring to you the greatest old time radio shows like us on Facebook. Subscribe to us on YouTube and thank you for [e-mail].

[Narrator]

Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

[Commercial Announcer]

Dragnet is brought to you by Chesterfield. Made by Ligot and Myers. First major tobacco company to bring you a complete line of quality cigarettes.

[Narrator]

You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a robbery detail. A supermarket in your city has been robbed. The thief wore a disguise. You don't know who he is or what he looks like. Your job, find him. Today, friends, you hear these three words everywhere. Chesterfield's for me. The chesterfield you smoke today is the best cigarette ever made. Best for you because Chesterfield gives you proof of highest quality, low nicotine. The taste you want, the mildness you want. Chesterfield is best for you because it's tested and approved by 30 years of scientific tobacco research. Chesterfield is best for you because it has an established good record with smokers proven by test after test. Yes, friends, the chesterfield you smoke today is the best cigarette ever made. For the taste you want. The mildness you want. Join the thousands. Now changing to Chesterfield. Always say, chesterfield's for me.

[Commercial Announcer]

Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime. For the next 30 minutes, in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case. Transcribed from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action.

[Joe Friday]

It was Wednesday, August 13th. It was warm in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of robbery detail. My partner's Frank Smith, the boss. Chief of Detective Thad Brown. My name's Friday. I was on my way into the office and it was 7:58am When I got to room 27. A robbery. Morning, Frank. You been in long?

[Frank Smith]

About 10 minutes.

[Joe Friday]

Gonna be a hot one today, ain't it?

[Frank Smith]

Yeah, that's what the paper says.

[Joe Friday]

Anything in the book?

[Frank Smith]

No.

[Joe Friday]

How about those mugs? They come in from Barton?

[Frank Smith]

Yeah. I put them in your box.

[Joe Friday]

Thank you. Should you Take a look at them. Hey, Frank. What? I said, did you see the mugs?

[Frank Smith]

Oh, no.

[Joe Friday]

All right. What's the matter?

[Frank Smith]

Faye?

[Joe Friday]

What happened?

[Frank Smith]

Joe, you know me. You know how I feel about Faye. So you gotta know I didn't mean anything by it.

[Joe Friday]

He didn't mean anything?

[Frank Smith]

Certainly not. It's the farthest thing from my mind what was what she thought I meant. You know, Joe, sometimes I think Faye just don't understand me.

[Joe Friday]

Well, I don't understand you either on this one.

[Frank Smith]

Oh, that's right. You weren't there.

[Joe Friday]

No.

[Frank Smith]

Sort of got to thinking to myself, you were. You know how a guy does. I got thinking to myself, and you got a problem. You kind of think your old buddy knows all about it. Yeah. So I gotta fill you in. I'll tell you all about it right now. Yeah, you see, after dinner last night, we had those Swedish meatballs that Fay makes so good.

[Joe Friday]

The what?

[Frank Smith]

Meatballs. Swedish ones.

[Joe Friday]

Oh, yeah, I know. I had those out there.

[Frank Smith]

Yeah. Wonderful.

[Joe Friday]

Very good. Excellent.

[Frank Smith]

Well, after dinner last night, we went in the living room, sat down to watch the television. I switched on the set and I kind of arranged the pillows and settled back. A couple of minutes later, Faye comes in with a box. One of those big flat ones, like dresses. Come in.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, I know.

[Frank Smith]

She bought a new dress, Joe. That's why she fixed the meatballs.

[Joe Friday]

I don't know how this is going to end, but up to here, I must be on Faye's side.

[Frank Smith]

I guess you are.

[Joe Friday]

Well, I don't understand any of it.

[Frank Smith]

Oh, well, I'll straighten that out. You see, whenever she wants me to go along with something she's already done, she always makes Swedish meatballs.

[Joe Friday]

Well, I could figure that part out. What was in the box?

[Frank Smith]

A dress, Joe. She bought a dress.

[Joe Friday]

Oh, it was a dress. Yeah.

[Frank Smith]

She opened up the box, she shows it to me, told me how she bought it on sale. Do you ever notice how every time a woman buys a dress, it's always on sale?

[Joe Friday]

No, I can't say as I ever have.

[Frank Smith]

Well, believe me, buddy, it always is.

[Joe Friday]

On sale.

[Frank Smith]

On sale.

[Joe Friday]

I don't want you to go through the whole day with this on your mind. But if you don't get to the point, there'll be time for us to sign out and talk about.

[Frank Smith]

Well, I didn't mean anything by it. Nothing. She held the dress up for me to see, and all I did, I just said, what size is it? You know how you do want to.

[Joe Friday]

Look at these mug shots?

[Frank Smith]

Now, now, wait a minute. I want to finish. You asked me what I was mad about. I wanted to tell you. I asked her what size the dress was. She told me it was a 12. A 12?

[Joe Friday]

A 12?

[Frank Smith]

Yeah. So I just kind of casually mentioned that when we got married, she wore a nine. That's all. I said that she wore a nine.

[Joe Friday]

Wanna look at the mug shots? Now?

[Frank Smith]

No. Wait a minute. Will you help me with this thing? It's the use of being partners if you can't help a little. We'll look at the mug shots. When we were married, she wore a nine and she just flipped her wig.

[Joe Friday]

Joe.

[Frank Smith]

She got real mad, walked out of the room. Right out of the room.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Frank Smith]

I guess she thought I meant she was getting fat.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, she did. Why?

[Frank Smith]

She was mad.

[Joe Friday]

Hot shot. I'll get it. Let's go. Corner of Grandview and Union.

[Frank Smith]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

Hold up. By the time we got to the supermarket, a broadcast carrying the description of the suspect had been gotten out to all cars in the city. A small crowd of people had gathered in front of the store, and the officers from the radio unit were attempting to keep them back from the entrance. An ambulance had been called, and when we got there, the attendants were giving emergency treatment to the day manager of the store. He'd been struck on the left side of the head, just above the ear by the suspect when he'd made his getaway. The attendant told us that the man was suffering from a mild concussion. Frank and I entered the store and talked to one of the policemen who was there. He led us back to a small office in the rear of the place where we met the other two victims. One was the cashier of the store, Irma Watson. The other was the man who had the meat concession in the store, Tom Spence. We asked him to tell us what happened.

[Irma Watson]

First thing I saw of him was when I parked my car out in the lot. Guy was standing right by the side door.

[Tom Spence]

That's right. Just standing there, calm as could be. I saw him when I opened up the place.

[Joe Friday]

You want to go ahead?

[Tom Spence]

Well, I unlocked the door and we all came in. The man did, too. Just walked right in.

[Irma Watson]

We don't normally let people come in for eight, Hardly ever. But since Gerald was there, we figured he could take care of the man.

[Frank Smith]

You mean Gerald's the man in the ambulance?

[Irma Watson]

Yeah, that's right. Hold up, fella. Give him an awful cloud on the head. Give him concussion. Concussion at the head.

[Tom Spence]

Tell you something about that, too.

[Joe Friday]

What's that, Ms. Watson?

[Tom Spence]

I don't really think Gerald's hit that Hard. I think he's just putting on to.

[Irma Watson]

Get sympathy now, Erma, that ain't right. Not good. Say things like that.

[Tom Spence]

Maybe not, but I tell you. You remember. Remember the time he cut his finger when he was moving the cases of empty soda pop bottles?

[Irma Watson]

Yeah.

[Tom Spence]

Well, you were there. Had to rush him to the hospital, have his hands sewn up. A lot of foolishness. Piece of adhesive would have taken care of it. Sympathy, that's what he wants.

[Frank Smith]

Can we go on with what we were talking about? What happened after he came in the store, please?

[Tom Spence]

Well, I went upstairs and I turned on the lights.

[Irma Watson]

Have to turn them on from up there, officers.

[Tom Spence]

Up there, that's where I work. Turned on the lights, then come down to open the safe.

[Frank Smith]

Is that your job? To open the safe in the morning?

[Tom Spence]

Yeah.

[Irma Watson]

She's a cashier?

[Joe Friday]

Yes, sir. What happened then?

[Irma Watson]

Well, Gerald was going out back to open the delivery door. I was over in the meat section, kind of straightening up.

[Frank Smith]

Where was the hold up man during this time?

[Tom Spence]

Just kind of strolling around, looking at the different displays up and down the aisles. Just looking.

[Irma Watson]

Gerald open up the back door and come back. Asked the fella if there's something special he's looking for. Well, guy said he wanted to know where the fillet van Chovies was. Gerald told him fella went back to get some.

[Tom Spence]

That's what Gerald thought. But we know different now.

[Irma Watson]

Yeah, a lot different.

[Joe Friday]

Don, would you go on, please?

[Tom Spence]

Well, I was upstairs counting the receipts from yesterday, getting the bank statement ready.

[Irma Watson]

Irma's a cashier. Yeah, yeah, we know that.

[Frank Smith]

Would you go on, please?

[Tom Spence]

Well, first thing I know, the man standing right behind me holding this gun pointed right at me. You can just bet he liked to scared me out of my wits.

[Irma Watson]

Must have been terrible, Irma.

[Tom Spence]

It was. I just turned around and there he was with this gun. Just about scared me to death.

[Joe Friday]

That's when he asked you for the money, did he?

[Tom Spence]

He didn't ask. He just told me to put it in a wooden box. He had just put it in the box.

[Narrator]

What'd he say? What were his exact words?

[Tom Spence]

Well, he just kind of walked over and said, put the money in the box and don't cause no trouble. This is a stick up like that. He said it.

[Irma Watson]

Irma did just what he said.

[Tom Spence]

Yes, sir. I gave him the money, dumped it all in the box, just like he said. Then he told me to lay down on the floor. Just told me to lay down and not to make any noise or he'd come back and kill Me, I think he'd have done it too.

[Irma Watson]

I think he would have, Irma.

[Tom Spence]

That's why I did what he said. Flatten the floor.

[Joe Friday]

Did he have the box when he came in?

[Tom Spence]

Yeah, I had it under his arm.

[Irma Watson]

I was down behind the meat counter and all of a sudden I heard this scream.

[Tom Spence]

That was me.

[Joe Friday]

Listen.

[Tom Spence]

I let out a yelling and Tom here heard it.

[Joe Friday]

So Gerald.

[Irma Watson]

We kind of looked at each other. And then I grabbed a meat cleaver and started up the stairs. I didn't know what was wrong, but I did know Erma was in trouble.

[Tom Spence]

I appreciate that, Tom.

[Irma Watson]

And I knew you're in trouble. And I came around and got the stairs. Come up the office and then I saw him. He was just coming down.

[Joe Friday]

He still had the gun, did he?

[Irma Watson]

Yeah, had the gun in the box. I didn't know what was in it at that time, but I had no idea. I just hefted the cleaver and started upstairs. Stopped when he saw me. Stopped right in his tracks.

[Tom Spence]

Tom's awful brave.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am.

[Irma Watson]

So he told me to get out of his way or else he'd kill me. Way he was pointing that gun around. Kind of believed him. So I backed down the stairs and him right behind me. All the time he had that gun pointed at me.

[Frank Smith]

Where was the manager all this time?

[Tom Spence]

You mean Gerald?

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

I don't know.

[Tom Spence]

I was upstairs.

[Irma Watson]

Well, I saw him. He was down to the cash register in front. He saw this guy coming down the stairs and he ran for the phone to call the police. Fella saw him and he took off after Gerald. I thought he was going to shoot him. But he didn't. Just hit him. Give him a concussion of the head.

[Tom Spence]

He's after sympathy, that's all.

[Irma Watson]

Now, army, you're wrong. I've seen it. He give Gerald an awful hit right along here. Real hard.

[Frank Smith]

Now, which way the man go after.

[Joe Friday]

He left the store?

[Frank Smith]

Please.

[Irma Watson]

Ran down that way. Down Union.

[Frank Smith]

Will you describe the man for us?

[Joe Friday]

Well, he was about 5ft shape a little better if you told us one.

[Irma Watson]

At a time, I guess you'd never get it that way.

[Joe Friday]

Be a little difficult, sir.

[Irma Watson]

You go ahead, Irma.

[Tom Spence]

Well, I. I told the other policeman he was about the funniest looking little man I ever saw.

[Joe Friday]

Real little?

[Irma Watson]

Well, not really. I think he just kind of hunched over.

[Tom Spence]

Well, he looked little, but.

[Frank Smith]

How tall was he?

[Irma Watson]

Oh, about five foot eight, maybe nine.

[Tom Spence]

Guess that's about right. Tell him about the way he was dressed.

[Irma Watson]

Oh, yeah. Had on this black overcoat and a hat. All pulled down over his eyes. The hat, I mean.

[Joe Friday]

What color was his hair? Do you remember?

[Irma Watson]

Well, what I could see of it was kind of blonde. Light colored.

[Tom Spence]

Yeah, that's right. And he had a mustache.

[Irma Watson]

Yeah, real big. Looked like the old fashioned kind, like people wore when I was a kid. You know, handlebar black, real black.

[Joe Friday]

When he left the store, did you notice if he got into a car?

[Irma Watson]

Yeah, he did. I saw him run down the street and jump in one. Dark color. I'm not sure what kind it was. I think it might have been a Hutchin late model.

[Tom Spence]

I saw that. I was looking out the side window upstairs and I saw the same thing.

[Joe Friday]

Did you tell the other officers about it?

[Tom Spence]

Well, I didn't.

[Irma Watson]

Neither did I. I guess we better.

[Frank Smith]

Get out of broadcast on.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. Did you happen to get the license number of the car?

[Irma Watson]

Yeah, that's where I went to work. Got it written down right here on my apron. See? Numbers ain't too plain. But you can make them out.

[Joe Friday]

No, sir, I can't. You'll have to help me there.

[Tom Spence]

I got it too. Right here. I saw him get in the car and I wrote it down.

[Frank Smith]

Thank you.

[Irma Watson]

Having the number of the car is going to make it easier to catch fella, ain't it?

[Tom Spence]

They should make it a snap to find out who owns the car. And that's the man.

[Joe Friday]

Well, it's not going to be that easy. I'm Frank.

[Irma Watson]

What?

[Joe Friday]

Both numbers are different. A supplemental broadcast was gotten out carrying both the license numbers that the victims had gotten. Frank put in a call to DMV asking him to forward all information on the numbers. The crime lab crew came out and went over the place for fingerprints, but they were not able to turn up anything that we could use. We continued to question the butcher and the cashier. We got a complete description of the thief. The one outstanding thing that both of them agreed on was the mustache. Both said that it was a direct contrast to the color of the man's hair and said that it might have been darkened with shoe polish or some kind of grease. People in the vicinity were questioned, but none of them were able to supply us with any new information. The injured manager was removed to Georgia Street Receiving Hospital for emergency treatment and then referred to his own doctor. Frank and I talked to him, but he only verified the story that we'd gotten from the other two people in the store. 12:45pm we returned to the City hall and asked the stats office to start a run on the MO for us. The victims were asked to go through the mug books, but they were not able to identify any of the photographs. Frank and I spent the rest of the day talking to the other storekeepers in the vicinity of the robbery. We asked each of them if they'd seen anyone loitering in the area, anyone who looked suspicious. From each of them, we got the same answer. None of them could help us in establishing the identity of the suspect. The kickback on the license number came in from Sacramento, but when we checked out the information, we were no closer to apprehending the thief. The next morning, Thursday, August 14th, Frank and I met in the squadroom.

[Frank Smith]

Hi, Joe.

[Joe Friday]

Morning.

[Frank Smith]

How's my old buddy this morning?

[Joe Friday]

I'm all right. You sound happy. The problem with Faye Straighten out?

[Frank Smith]

Oh, yeah, sure. Got home last night. Everything's great.

[Joe Friday]

All right.

[Frank Smith]

Hey, we started last night.

[Joe Friday]

What's that?

[Frank Smith]

Faye and me, we're going on a diet. Both gonna lose a little weight.

[Joe Friday]

Well, that's nice. Yeah.

[Frank Smith]

Lose a little weight. Anything new in the market hold up?

[Joe Friday]

No. The stat's office should finish the run for us this morning. We can start checking out the possibles. Yeah.

[Frank Smith]

It's a good thing I wore my walking shoes, huh?

[Joe Friday]

I get it. Robbery, Friday. Yeah.

[Frank Smith]

Mm.

[Joe Friday]

No, that's right. No, that's all right. We'd like to hear it. Mm. Yeah, sure. All right. We'll be out and see you. No, right away.

[Narrator]

All right.

[Joe Friday]

Thank you very much. Bye.

[Frank Smith]

What do you got?

[Joe Friday]

Cashier out at the market. That Irma Watson? Yeah. Might have something for us.

[Narrator]

What's that?

[Joe Friday]

She says she thinks she knows who the suspect is. Frank and I drove out to the market. We went upstairs to the office in the rear of the store and met Irma Watson. She was seated at a desk with a large ledger book opened in front of her.

[Tom Spence]

I got to thinking it over last night after I got home. About the holdup man?

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am.

[Tom Spence]

Something about him, the way he acted and talked, made me think I knew he was. That I'd seen him someplace before.

[Frank Smith]

Huh.

[Tom Spence]

I laid awake most of the night just thinking about it. Then all of a sudden, it came to me. Right out of the air, it came to me.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am. Go ahead.

[Tom Spence]

Well, I knew where it was that I thought I knew him from where, ma'am? Right here in the store.

[Joe Friday]

You mean he's a customer?

[Tom Spence]

No, he works for us. Right here in the store. That's where I've seen him. That mustache kind of fooled me for a minute, but not for long. I remembered.

[Joe Friday]

What's the man's name.

[Tom Spence]

I didn't remember that.

[Joe Friday]

Oh, what is this thing?

[Tom Spence]

Not last night, but I came down here this morning and started through the books and came upon it. Got it right here. Take a look for yourself.

[Joe Friday]

Podbean, your message amplified. Ready to share your message with the world. Start your podcast journey with podbean. Podbean, the AI powered all in one podcast platform. Thousands of businesses and enterprises trust Podbean to launch their podcasts. Use Podbean to record your podcast. Use PodBean AI to optimize your podcast. Use PodBean AI to turn your blog into a podcast. Use Podbean to distribute your podcast everywhere. Launch your podcast on Podbean today.

[Tom Spence]

See right there?

[Joe Friday]

That's Jed Ellsworth.

[Tom Spence]

That's him. I'm sure of it.

[Joe Friday]

Ms. Ellsworth work here now?

[Tom Spence]

Well, yes and no, ma'am. Well, he doesn't. He doesn't. He still got the job, but he ain't working right now. Got a leave of absence. He's got ulcers. Said he wanted to get him taken care of. Said he had to go out of town and see a specialist, get his ulcers fixed.

[Joe Friday]

I see. When do you leave?

[Tom Spence]

Last week. See, I got it right here. Last day he worked was Wednesday, August 6th. That was the last day.

[Joe Friday]

Do you have his home address?

[Tom Spence]

You just bet. Got it right here. Wrote all the information out for you.

[Joe Friday]

Thank you very much.

[Tom Spence]

It's him. I'm sure of it.

[Joe Friday]

All right, Ms. Watson, we'll check into it.

[Tom Spence]

Only thing I can't figure out is that mustache.

[Joe Friday]

What's that?

[Tom Spence]

The mustache. I can't figure out how he could have grown it so fast. Takes longer than a week to get a mustache like that, doesn't it?

[Joe Friday]

Well, it depends, doesn't it?

[Tom Spence]

On what?

[Joe Friday]

Where you buy it. Frank and I returned to the office to run the name Jed Ellsworth through the Record Bureau. Well, Frank went through the packages, checking the description we'd gotten of the suspect. I went down to the stat's office and picked up the list of possibles that they had for us. 10:26am I met Frank back at the R. And I counter. Hi, how's it going?

[Frank Smith]

Looks like we got a live one. Got a jet.

[Narrator]

Ellsworth here. Pretty close to the description.

[Frank Smith]

Yeah, record in the east, St. Louis. Done big time back there. Nothing locally, though.

[Joe Friday]

What did he fall for?

[Frank Smith]

Armed robbery.

[Commercial Announcer]

You are listening to Dragnet, the authentic story of your police force in action.

[Narrator]

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[Tom Spence]

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[Narrator]

That's the way I feel about them too. I've always smoked Chesterfields. Now I go for the king size. Guess I like a longer smoke. So whether you smoke regular size like Elise Knox or king size like Tom Harmon, Enjoy America's most popular two way cigarette. Chesterfield's for me. You hear it everywhere. The chesterfield you smoke today is the best cigarette ever made. For the taste you want, the mildness you want join the thousands. Now changing to Chesterfield.

[Joe Friday]

We sent an immediate request to the authorities in St. Louis asking that they forward all available information on their suspect Jed Ellsworth. 1:15pm Frank and I drove out to the address we've been given by the cashier at the supermarket was a one story redwood house in the Beverly Glen area. We rang the front doorbell.

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

Yes?

[Joe Friday]

We'd like to see Jed Ellsworth.

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

He's not here.

[Joe Friday]

Well, you know where we can reach him.

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

What's this about? Are you in trouble again, ma'am? Jed in trouble again?

[Frank Smith]

We'd like to talk to him please.

[Narrator]

The cops or police officers?

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

Uh huh. Figures. What's he done this time?

[Joe Friday]

Well, it's just routine. We want to ask him a couple of questions. Where is he?

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

I don't know.

[Joe Friday]

Well he lives here, doesn't he?

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

Yeah. I don't know where he is. Haven't seen him since the day before yesterday. He's packed up and left. I don't know where he went.

[Joe Friday]

Well didn't he give you any idea where he was going?

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

None. Went through my purse, took what money I had and shoved off. Don't much matter to me if I never see him again. I'd probably be better off.

[Joe Friday]

Wonder if we could see his things.

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

You mean when he left?

[Joe Friday]

Yes ma'am.

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

Sure. Come on in. They're in his room. I'm about to throw him out. I don't want him. And I don't think he'll be back for him this time. Down the hall, this way.

[Frank Smith]

Thank you, ma'am.

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

What are you after him for?

[Joe Friday]

It'll be a little better if we talk to him.

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

Sure. Don't matter to me. I'm through with him. Nothing but trouble with cops since we've been married. I didn't know he had a record when I met him until after we Got married. I found out he was a jailbird. Right after we got married, the cops started coming around asking questions.

[Joe Friday]

How long have you been married?

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

18 months. Met him back in St. Louis. Must have been right after he got out of jail. I didn't know it then. Wished I did. Wouldn't have nothing to do with him giving me nothing but trouble.

[Frank Smith]

Would you know if he has any people in California that I ever saw?

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

He never talked about them.

[Joe Friday]

Does he drive a car, Jed? Yes, ma'am.

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

No, he didn't own one. Never. He needed one. He'd go to one of these rental agencies, rent one. This is room. Stuff's there on the bed.

[Joe Friday]

Thank you.

[Frank Smith]

I'll check it.

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

I'm gonna throw it all out. Anything there you want, just take it with you.

[Joe Friday]

I don't think that'll be necessary.

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

Well, the offer's still good. What you don't take, I'll throw up.

[Joe Friday]

Your husband got any close friends at all in town?

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

Yeah. Got a lot of bums.

[Joe Friday]

He give us their names?

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

Only one name I know. Larry Jessup. Him and Jed used to pal around all the time. I think his job at the store took up too much pal time. That's the reason Jed quit.

[Joe Friday]

Understand? Your husband had trouble with his stomach. Didn't I?

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

Yeah.

[Tom Spence]

Ulcer.

[Joe Friday]

Was he under the care of a doctor?

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

Uh huh. All the time taking pills and eating special things. Got to the point where nothing I cooked was right for the ulcer. We did nothing but fight all the time. Miserable. 18 months. I'm glad he's gone. Never see him again. It'll be a week too soon.

[Joe Friday]

Can you give us the doctor's name?

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

Yeah, it's on one of the bills there. Got it in with the rest of them. Reminds me. Can you answer me something?

[Joe Friday]

What's that?

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

Am I responsible for his bills? The ones he ran of himself without my help? I gotta pay him.

[Joe Friday]

Well, ma'am, that's not a police problem. You better check with a lawyer on that.

[Tom Spence]

A lawyer?

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am.

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

More expense. Seems like all I do is put out money for him. Boy, I'm glad he's gone.

[Joe Friday]

You have a picture of him?

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

You mean like a snapshot?

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am.

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

No. Jed wouldn't let nobody take pictures of him. Said it was bad luck.

[Joe Friday]

Mm. He had a mustache, didn't he?

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

Nothing.

[Frank Smith]

Sighting Mrs. Alsworth?

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

Yeah.

[Frank Smith]

You know what's on these dictograph records?

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

Oh, those are mine. I'm a stenographer. Sometimes I do work at home. Those are mine. Oh, just letters. It's the one thing he ever did for me.

[Joe Friday]

What's that?

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

Made that box for records. Real big thing. Took him all day to make it just a plain, simple wooden box. You'd have thought it was a Taj Mahal. Only thing he ever did for me.

[Joe Friday]

I see. Your husband get many phone calls here?

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

No. Not that you'd notice. Larry'd call once in a while. I told you there was real pally.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am. Did you ever hear any of the conversations, by any chance?

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

Just on this end.

[Joe Friday]

You know what they were talking about?

[Tom Spence]

Not too good.

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

They used to get real secret, you know, low voices. They were planning something, though. I don't know what it was, but they were planning something.

[Frank Smith]

This fellow Jessup, he'd drive a car.

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

Yeah.

[Frank Smith]

You know what kind?

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

Yeah. New Hudson.

[Joe Friday]

We got the address of the suspect's friend and we drove back to the City Hall. We made arrangements for a stakeout to be placed on the house. In addition to asking Mrs. Ellsworth to call us in the event that she heard from her husband. We ran the name Lawrence Jessup through R and I and we came up with a criminal record for him. It listed several arrests for burglary and auto theft. According to his package, he'd never been convicted in California. We sent a teletype up to George Brereton, CII in Sacramento asking for further information on the man. 4:50pm Frank and I left the office and drove out to the address given us by the suspect's wife. It was a large boarding house in the Hollywood Hills area. We talked to the landlady. She told us Jessup wasn't in, but that she expected him by 6pm we asked if she'd ever seen a man answering Jed Ellsworth's description. She said that such a man was a frequent visitor in Jessup's room. 5pm Frank and I and the company of the landlady checked the room. We found nothing to tie Jessup in with the robbery. We waited for him. 5:58pm he came up the stairs and opened the door.

[Larry Jessup]

What are you guys doing here?

[Joe Friday]

Police officers. This is Frank Smith. My name's Friday.

[Larry Jessup]

I still want to know what you're doing here.

[Frank Smith]

Got a couple of questions we want to ask you.

[Joe Friday]

Jessup. Go ahead.

[Larry Jessup]

I got nothing to hide.

[Joe Friday]

Ask. Where's Jed Ellsworth?

[Larry Jessup]

I don't know. I haven't seen him a couple of days. Why?

[Joe Friday]

Understand you two are pretty good friends.

[Larry Jessup]

Were friends. Guy's off his rocker.

[Joe Friday]

How do you mean that?

[Larry Jessup]

What I said. He only Got out of the can a couple of years ago. Right away he's doing his best to get back in.

[Frank Smith]

That right?

[Narrator]

Sure.

[Larry Jessup]

A couple of days ago he called. Said he had to see me right away. Had a big idea for both of us. Make a lot of money. Yeah, well, I don't want to have to work all my life. So I told him I'd listen. Laid out this big deal where he could knock off a supermarket. Told me he had it all planned.

[Joe Friday]

How'd it all work out? Real good.

[Larry Jessup]

Couldn't miss. I told him I didn't want no part of it. I could sure use a dough. Yeah, but not to take a chance on going to jail for it. I already got a record. I had enough to do with cops to last me the rest of my life. Been lucky the last couple of times it didn't fall. But I don't want to press. I'm punching a clock now, and that's where it's going to be.

[Irma Watson]

I told him that.

[Joe Friday]

They say he was going to go ahead with the job?

[Larry Jessup]

No, I just said I was crazy not to pick up some easy money.

[Frank Smith]

You heard from him since then?

[Larry Jessup]

Yeah, I saw him yesterday. Came over in the morning. Told me to forget all about the market job. Said he realized it was wrong. Asked me to drive him out to Pomona.

[Joe Friday]

What for, did he say?

[Larry Jessup]

Yeah, he said he'd walk down on Hazel. That's his wife.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, we know.

[Larry Jessup]

Said he left her and was going to Pomona. Had a job out there.

[Frank Smith]

You drive him?

[Larry Jessup]

Yeah, to a motel there. I can show it to you if you want.

[Joe Friday]

Is he still there?

[Larry Jessup]

I don't know. As far as I know, he is, that's where I left him. Sitting out there, counting his money.

[Joe Friday]

What money?

[Larry Jessup]

He told me he drew all the dough out of his and Hazel's account. Said she wasn't going to get any of it. Must have had about 4,000 bucks.

[Joe Friday]

You know what bank he had the money in?

[Larry Jessup]

No, he didn't say. I didn't know him and Hazel had that much. Of course, she works pretty hard.

[Joe Friday]

Thrifty.

[Larry Jessup]

You know. Jed always said she was stingy out of money. Yeah. Had it in this wooden box all stacked in there, real neat. Hard to believe.

[Joe Friday]

What's that about the box?

[Larry Jessup]

Jed's about the laziest guy I ever knew. Last one to work with his hands. Sure proud of it, though. Said he made the box himself.

[Joe Friday]

Larry Jessup. Frank and I drove out to the motel in Pomona. We checked with a manager, but found that the suspect had Checked out that morning. Fortunately, the room had not been cleaned yet, and we went over it. On a shelf in a closet, we found the wooden box that Jessup had spoken of was a duplicate of the one that we'd seen at the suspect's home. We told the manager we were taking it with us and asked her to notify us in the event Ellsworth returned. We asked if he had a car when he left. The manager told us he didn't, but that he had asked for the name of some automobile rental agencies in Pomona. Jessup and I went out to our car and waited for Frank to come back from the suspect's room.

[Larry Jessup]

Sure looks like he pulled a robbery, huh?

[Joe Friday]

It seems to fit him real good, doesn't it, Joe? Yeah.

[Frank Smith]

Look at this. Found it under the bed.

[Larry Jessup]

Phony black mustache.

[Joe Friday]

We checked with the automobile rental agencies in the area. None of them had seen a man answering the suspect's description. We asked them to call us if such a man did come in. We drove by Ellsworth's house and picked up the wooden box that. That he'd made for his wife's dictograph records. Both of the containers were taken to the crime lab for comparison. We drove to the market that had been held up. All three of the victims were shown the false mustache that we'd found in the motel. All three said it was identical with the one that the hold up man had worn after his investigation. Lee Jones said that the two wooden boxes were cut from the same piece of three ply wood. Paint particles on the wood matched. The nails used were made by the same machine. The box we found at the motel was shown to both the butcher and the cashier. They said that it was the same one that the thief had carried. A local and an APB were put out on the suspect, asking that he be picked up for suspicion of robbery. For the next three days, the surveillance on the suspect's house was maintained. All of Mrs. Ellsworth's activities were observed. Sunday, August 17th. We got a call that the suspect's wife had left the house carrying a suitcase. The officers on stakeout followed her to the subway terminal in downtown Los Angeles. We met them there. Mrs. Ellsworth walked down to the landing and appeared to be waiting. Frank and I took over the surveillance. We waited. 9:30pm 10:10, 15, 10:18pm Joe. Yeah, I see him.

[Frank Smith]

Looks like the description, huh?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. Going toward his wife. Let's let him get together, huh? Yeah, that's him. Come on. Hey, he sees us. Jeb.

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

Jeb.

[Joe Friday]

The cops.

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

Get out of here.

[Joe Friday]

Come on, Frank. All right, Ellsworth, hold it up. Police officers. Come on. Drop the gun, Ellsworth.

[Frank Smith]

You're not gonna get out of here.

[Joe Friday]

Let's give it back to him. Down. Come on.

[Frank Smith]

He's hurt.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Frank Smith]

I'll get an ambulance.

[Joe Friday]

Right.

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

He did. Did you kill him?

[Joe Friday]

No. We sent for an ambulance.

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

I didn't want him to get hurt. I didn't want him to get hurt.

[Joe Friday]

Why didn't you call us when you heard from him?

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

I don't know. I don't know. He said if I met him, he'd give me some money so I could pay the bills what you owed. He was gonna give me some money. I was gonna call you. After I got the money, I was gonna call.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, sure you were.

[Mrs. Ellsworth]

Chance to get out from under, get even. He didn't care. When we were together, I was the one who worried about it. He never cared. He never paid a bill.

[Joe Friday]

Don't worry. He's gonna pay this one.

[Narrator]

The story you've just heard is true. The names were changed to protect the innocent.

[Commercial Announcer]

On January 17, trial was held in Department 97, Superior Court of the State of California. In and for the county of Los Angeles. In a moment, the results of that trial.

[Narrator]

Now, here is our star, Jack Webb.

[Joe Friday]

Thank you, George Feniman. You know, the Chesterfield you smoked today is the best cigarette ever made. And best for you. Now, that's a fact. And to my way of thinking, it's the very reason for you to change to Chesterfield. Try them either way, regular or king size. If you try them, I think you'll say with all of us. Chesterfield's for.

[Narrator]

Jed.

[Commercial Announcer]

Warren Ellsworth was tried and convicted of robbery in the first degree and received sentence as prescribed by law. Robbery in the first degree is punishable by imprisonment in the state penitentiary for a period of from five years to life. 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 Technical Advisors. Captain Jack Donahoe, Sergeant Marty Wynn, Sergeant Vance Brasher. Heard tonight were Ben Alexander, Ralph Moody, June Whitley. Script by John Robinson. Music by Walter Schumann. Hal Gibney speaking.

[Narrator]

Watch an entirely different Dragnet case history each week on your local NBC television station. Please check your newspapers for the day and time Chesterfield has brought you Dragnet. Transcribed from Los Angeles Filter tip Smokers. This is it. L and M filters. The one filter tip cigarette with plenty of good taste, much more flavor, much less nicotine and effective filtration. Only the L and M filter contains the miracle product alpha cellulose, the purest material for filtering cigarette smoke. Yes, this is it. As Helen Hayes puts it, l and M filters are just what the doctor ordered. Buy L and M filters, the distinguished Monogram cigarette. L and M filters America's highest quality and best filter tip cigarette. Hear Rocky Fortune following John Cameron Swayze and the news on the NBC radio network.

[Tom Spence]

It.