Dragnet: The Big Pipe 02/23/1954

Summary

Dragnet: The Big Pipe – Detailed Summary

Podcast Information:

• Title: Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
• Episode: Dragnet: The Big Pipe (02/23/1954)
• Host/Author: Choice Classic Radio
• Release Date: March 11, 2025

---

1. Case Introduction

Dragnet: The Big Pipe opens with Detective Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner, Frank Smith, being assigned to a homicide case in downtown Los Angeles. The victim is an attractive woman found beaten to death with a lead pipe in her office. The episode sets the stage for a meticulous police investigation, showcasing the procedural approach that Dragnet is renowned for.

2. Discovery of the Body

The scene shifts to the discovery of the victim. At [02:54], Joe Friday narrates:

“It was Thursday, April 15. It was warm in Los Angeles. We were working the day.”

Detectives Friday and Smith arrive at suite 7:18 of a downtown office building. They meet Ms. Joyce, the building manager, who found the body. She recounts the harrowing moment:

“I saw her behind the desk. Oh, it was an awful thing. There she was on the floor, dead.” [05:15]

3. Initial Evidence Collection

Upon examining the crime scene, Friday and Smith note the absence of typical robbery signs despite the initial belief that robbery might be the motive. The victim still possesses valuable items like diamond rings and significant cash, indicating a different motive behind the murder. Key evidence includes:

• Murder Weapon: A 15-inch lead pipe, wrapped in brown paper and blood-stained.
• Forensic Evidence: Partial fingerprints on the pipe and other room fixtures, though deemed unusable for definitive identification.

4. Interview with Oscar Fitzgerald

Following initial leads, the detectives visit Oscar Fitzgerald, the victim’s husband, at his men’s club apartment ([10:17]). Fitzgerald presents himself as cooperative but evasive when questioned about his relationship with his wife and recent marital disputes. Notable exchanges include Fitzgerald’s frustration:

“I hate everything about it. … I told her to get off my back and leave me alone.” [12:32]

5. Pursuing Leads: Carl Neely

As the investigation progresses, a breakthrough occurs when a drunk patron at the Olympia Bar, Carl Neely, boasts about killing someone with a pipe ([16:26]). His behavior and subsequent confession lead Friday and Smith to detain him. During interrogation, Neely reveals:

“Every time I get tanked up, I always killed somebody. Never fails.” [19:28]

However, inconsistencies in his alibi and conflicting testimonies cast doubt on his reliability. Forensic evidence, including a blood-stained shirt and an envelope from Oscar Fitzgerald, further implicate Neely, but the detectives remain cautious due to his intoxicated state.

6. Unraveling the True Suspect: Norman Sitkin

Despite Neely’s confession, discrepancies in his story prompt Friday and Smith to continue their search. Utilizing the Los Angeles Police Department’s statistical data, they identify Norman Sitkin, a suspect with a criminal history matching the modus operandi of the crime. After confirming Sitkin’s presence in Los Angeles during the time of the murder, the detectives proceed with a stakeout leading to his arrest ([26:10]).

7. Interrogation and Arrest

Upon confronting Sitkin at his hotel ([26:35]), Friday and Smith employ firm interrogation tactics. Sitkin initially denies involvement but eventually breaks down under pressure:

“I got in a fight with another fella... I went up to Jackie’s. I had a couple of drinks.” [21:27]

Physical evidence, including blood-stained clothing and the envelope linking him to Fitzgerald, solidify the case against him. Despite his attempts to fabricate an alibi supported by his mother, inconsistencies in testimonies and evidence lead to his conviction.

8. Trial and Conclusion

The episode culminates with Sitkin being tried and convicted for murder in the first degree. The court proceedings reflect the thoroughness of the police investigation:

“Edward Sitkin was tried and convicted for murder in the first degree. On recommendation of the jury, he received a maximum penalty. And on July 19, he was executed in the lethal gas chamber at the State Penitentiary, San Quentin, California.” [28:58]

Detective Friday’s methodical approach underscores the show's emphasis on realistic police work, celebrating the dedication and perseverance of law enforcement in solving complex cases.

---

Notable Quotes

• Ms. Joyce about discovering the body:
  “I saw her behind the desk. Oh, it was an awful thing. There she was on the floor, dead.” [05:15]

• Oscar Fitzgerald expressing frustration with his marriage:
  “I hate everything about it. … I told her to get off my back and leave me alone.” [12:32]

• Carl Neely boasting about his crimes:
  “Every time I get tanked up, I always killed somebody. Never fails.” [19:28]

• Sitkin during interrogation:
  “I got in a fight with another fella... I went up to Jackie’s. I had a couple of drinks.” [21:27]

---

Conclusion

Dragnet: The Big Pipe exemplifies the procedural drama genre, highlighting the intricate process of police investigations. Through detailed examinations, strategic interrogations, and relentless pursuit of truth, Detectives Friday and Smith unravel the mystery behind Mrs. Fitzgerald's murder, ultimately delivering justice. This episode not only entertains but also educates listeners on the importance of methodical police work in solving crimes.

Transcript

[Joe Friday]

Your message amplified. Ready to share your message with the world? Start your podcast journey with Podbean. Podbean. Podbean. Podbean.

[Frank Smith]

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.

[Joe Friday]

My church too. I love it. I really do.

[Narrator]

Welcome to Choice Classic Radio where we.

[Joe Friday]

Bring to you the greatest old time.

[Narrator]

Radio shows like us on Facebook. Subscribe to us on YouTube and thank.

[Joe Friday]

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.

[Chesterfield Advertiser]

Dragnet is brought to you by Chesterfield. Made by Liggett 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 homicide detail. The body of an attractive woman has been found in a downtown office building. Beaten to death with a piece of lead pipe. The killer has escaped into the city. 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 is 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.

[Chesterfield Advertiser]

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

[Joe Friday]

It was Thursday, April 15. It was warm in Los Angeles. We were working the day. Watch out. A homicide detail. My partner's Frank Smith. The boss is Captain Larman. My name's Friday. We just left the murder room and it was 7:40am when we got to suite 7:18. The building manager's office. Ms. Joyce?

[Ms. Joyce]

Yes. You men cops?

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am. We understand you're the one who found the body. Is that right?

[Ms. Joyce]

Oh, that's right. I found her. Oh, it's an awful thing.

[Joe Friday]

This is my partner, Frank Smith. My name's Friday. Wonder if you feel up to telling us exactly what happened?

[Ms. Joyce]

Oh, sure. It's about the most terrible thing ever happened to me.

[Narrator]

There's something we can get you, man.

[Joe Friday]

Oh, no, thanks.

[Ms. Joyce]

Janie brought me some hot coffee.

[Joe Friday]

Who's Janie?

[Ms. Joyce]

Janie Alquist. She works the first three floors. She brought me some hot coffee.

[Carl Neely]

I see.

[Ms. Joyce]

She was up here and they let her bring it.

[Joe Friday]

All right, Ms. Joyce, if you just tell us about it, please.

[Ms. Joyce]

Right from the beginning. You want to hear all about the whole thing?

[Joe Friday]

If you would, please.

[Ms. Joyce]

Well, I came on at four, just like always. I punched in and came up to the 10th floor and started in. Got the things out of the closet on the 10th?

[Joe Friday]

Mm.

[Ms. Joyce]

Usually I start on the 7th. But now and then I like to do it a little different. And I start on 10 and work down.

[Narrator]

Yes, ma'am. What time was it when you found the body?

[Ms. Joyce]

Oh, just a few minutes ago, I guess about seven. Right around in there. I only had two more offices to do and I'd be finished. I just had two more when I got there.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am. Go ahead and tell us about finding a body.

[Ms. Joyce]

Oh, well, I unlocked the door and I saw the light inside. I thought it was kind of funny because usually it's dark.

[Narrator]

You mean in the office?

[Ms. Joyce]

Yes. And where Mrs. Fitzgerald's desk is, it's usually dark.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am.

[Ms. Joyce]

I thought it was kind of funny, like I said. But then I thought that maybe she was working. She does accounting, you know. Woman accountant. And I thought she was working, so I knocked. I didn't just want to go right in. If she was working, you know, disturbers. Why not? But she didn't answer.

[Joe Friday]

Go ahead, please.

[Ms. Joyce]

Well, I opened the door and went in right off. I was kind of sore about it. No excuse for a thing like that. No excuse at all.

[Narrator]

What do you mean?

[Ms. Joyce]

Well, didn't you see the place? Didn't you look?

[Narrator]

Yeah.

[Ms. Joyce]

Well, then you know what a mess it was. Papers all over the floor and ashtrays spilled. All that mess. And I'm supposed to be through at 7:30. Why, I'd never have made it. Never got through on time. And that's when I saw her behind the desk. Oh, it was an awful thing. There she was on the floor, dead.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am. There was no one else in the office?

[Ms. Joyce]

No, just Mrs. Fitzgerald. She was on the floor behind the desk.

[Narrator]

Why'd you do that?

[Ms. Joyce]

I screamed loud, as loud as I could. I wanted somebody to come up there right away. And that was the first time I ever saw anybody dead. Then I run out of the office and went downstairs to get somebody to help. Just an awful thing. Oh, poor Mrs. Fitzgerald. Oh, she was so nice all the time saying hello when she'd come in early and I'd still be working. Oh, I think about it and I just can't believe that it's true. I just can't hardly believe it.

[Joe Friday]

Did you see anyone on the floor while you were working?

[Ms. Joyce]

Just Mrs. Fitzgerald.

[Joe Friday]

No, ma'am. I mean, was there anybody in the halls of the building?

[Ms. Joyce]

Oh, no, no, not that I saw. There wasn't anybody. I'd have seen them if they was there, but they weren't.

[Joe Friday]

All right, Ms. Joyce. We'll contact you tomorrow about a statement. Meantime, leave you one of our cards. Here. If you think of anything we should know, we'd appreciate if you give us a call.

[Ms. Joyce]

Oh, I sure will. Anything at all I think of, I'll call you. Here I go now.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am.

[Ms. Joyce]

Sir, I've got to go home and take a hot bath and calm my nerves.

[Joe Friday]

Surely.

[Ms. Joyce]

Oh, sure. It's gonna be a shock to her husband, of course. Not that he'll mind too much.

[Joe Friday]

I beg your pardon?

[Ms. Joyce]

Her husband, you know Mr. Fitzgerald?

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am. What about him?

[Ms. Joyce]

Well, just that it isn't gonna bother that one too much.

[Narrator]

Why'd he say that?

[Ms. Joyce]

Oh, I shouldn't have said anything. Not a word. I shouldn't have told you I'd get fired. Sure.

[Joe Friday]

Well, if it's got anything to do with Ms. Fitzgerald's death, maybe you better tell us, don't you think?

[Ms. Joyce]

Well, if you'll promise not to tell the supervisor.

[Joe Friday]

All right, go ahead.

[Ms. Joyce]

It gets dull just being in a big building by yourself, all alone at night when there isn't anybody around. Pretty dull once in a while. Not real often. Just once in a while. I kind of read some of the letters that people throw away, you know, in the wastebasket. They don't want them anymore. So when it gets real dull, I read of them. I've read some in Mrs. Fitzgerald's office from her husband, Mr. Fitzgerald?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Ms. Joyce]

Seems like they've been having some kind of a big fight, going to court and all. I don't know what it's all about, but they've been fighting. And in the letters, he tells how she ought to leave him alone. I guess she's asking for a lot of alimony or something. That's what it sounded like to me. Some of the letters, the way he wrote to her. Maine used to threaten her all the time.

[Joe Friday]

You saw these letters where he threatened her, did you?

[Ms. Joyce]

Yes, one. I guess it was about a week ago he said in that if she tried to railroad the thing through. Now that's what he said. Railroad the thing through. He'd come up here and.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, go ahead.

[Ms. Joyce]

Well, that's all there is. I couldn't find the other piece of the letter where he said what he was going to do. See, she tore up the letters after she read them.

[Joe Friday]

All right, Ms. Joyce. Thank you very much.

[Ms. Joyce]

I hope I helped.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am, certainly have.

[Ms. Joyce]

Sure wish I could have found that other piece of the letter. No way of knowing what it said.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am.

[Ms. Joyce]

Do you suppose he really meant it?

[Joe Friday]

I don't know. We'll ask him. By the time Frank and I had arrived at the scene, the crew from the crime lab was there. Photographs of the entire room were taken and fingerprints were lifted from the edges of the desk, from the top of a lamp and from the molding around the door. The murder weapon, a 15 inch section of heavy lead pipe, was booked for evidence. There was nothing we could tell from the pipe itself other than the fact that it was the murder instrument was a plain piece of three quarter inch pipe. One end was wrapped in a heavy brown paper, the other was blood stained. Because of the appearance of the office, it looked as if robbery was the motive for the crime. However, on examination of the victim's personal effects we found that two large diamond rings were still in her fingers. In her purse we found cash in the amount of $226. On the desk itself we found a woman's WristWatch set with 12 diamonds. The fact that none of this had been removed apparently ruled out robbery as the motive. The other employees of the building were questioned, but they were unable to shed any light on a possible suspect. None of them had seen any unauthorized persons in the place. After closing hours, people on the street in the immediate vicinity were questioned. The only lead we were able to come up with was that at approximately 7:02am a newsboy had seen a short, stocky man walk from the office building entrance. Other than the brief description of the man's build, the witness was unable to tell us anything. An immediate broadcast was gotten out on what information we had from a telephone book in the victim's desk. We got an address for her husband. Oscar Fitzgerald was a men's club located in downtown Los Angeles. Frank and I drove over to talk to him.

[Frank Smith]

Come in.

[Joe Friday]

Thank you.

[Narrator]

Thank you very much.

[Frank Smith]

Sit down. I'll call for some coffee. You fellas want some?

[Joe Friday]

No, no thanks.

[Frank Smith]

No sir, don't mind if I have some?

[Joe Friday]

No, you go right ahead.

[Frank Smith]

Room service, please. Kinda early for the cops to come calling, isn't it?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, sure, I guess it is.

[Frank Smith]

This is Mr. Fitzgerald, room 417. Would you please send up a pot of coffee? That's right. Oh, and send a large glass of orange juice too, huh? Yeah, make sure it's cold. 4:17, right. One thing I can't go is warm orange juice like cigarette?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. Thank you.

[Frank Smith]

Now, what's this all about? What do you want to see me for?

[Joe Friday]

Well, when's the last time you saw your wife?

[Frank Smith]

Ada?

[Joe Friday]

Thank you.

[Frank Smith]

I guess a couple weeks ago.

[Narrator]

Why? Well, can you narrow that down to a day?

[Frank Smith]

Why? Any special reason for me to?

[Joe Friday]

Well, we'd like to hear it.

[Frank Smith]

Let's see, I guess it was around March 30th. I can check it if it's important.

[Narrator]

Where'd you see her?

[Frank Smith]

At my lawyer's. We had a conference to try and work out the divorce and settlement.

[Joe Friday]

What line of work are you in, Fitzgerald?

[Frank Smith]

I think you better tell me what this is all about before I answer any more questions. If this is some sort of trick Ada's trying, you tell her it won't work and she can get off my back.

[Joe Friday]

No, it's no trick. I think it might be better if you cooperate with us and answer the question.

[Narrator]

All right.

[Frank Smith]

But I'm going to tell you going in that if you try to pull a fast one, I'm going to deny everything I tell you.

[Joe Friday]

Now, if you tell us the truth, you won't have any trouble. Now, where do you work?

[Frank Smith]

Right now I'm between.

[Joe Friday]

What's that mean exactly?

[Frank Smith]

I'm an actor. Right now I haven't got an assignment.

[Joe Friday]

Where'd you work?

[Frank Smith]

Last Picture studio. Look, until you tell me what this is for, I'm not gonna give you any names.

[Joe Friday]

Can you give us your movements for the past few days?

[Carl Neely]

Starting when?

[Joe Friday]

Well, let's try the day before yesterday.

[Frank Smith]

Okay. I got up and went out to see my agent. Of course, that was a waste of time. Hung around the office for a couple hours and then had lunch on the strip. After that I came downtown, saw a movie, I came home, took a shower, and I kept the dinner engaged.

[Joe Friday]

You prove that?

[Frank Smith]

If I have to, yeah. But you're getting no names until I know what's going on.

[Joe Friday]

All right, how about yesterday? What'd you do then?

[Frank Smith]

I got up and went out to my agents. He told me he had a part on the fire. We went out on an interview. I Was at the studio until about 4:30, and then we went back to my agent's office and had a couple of drinks. After that I came back here, didn't feel too good and I went to bed.

[Joe Friday]

The man at the desk would be able to verify all that. Woody?

[Frank Smith]

Yeah, just ask him.

[Narrator]

Fitzgerald, how'd you get along with your wife?

[Frank Smith]

Well, it's not any of your business, but I'll tell you, it isn't any secret. I hated everything about it.

[Joe Friday]

You ever have any fights with her?

[Frank Smith]

Not more than five a week for the past four years.

[Joe Friday]

You ever hit her?

[Frank Smith]

You know, people win money for answering questions on quiz shows. What happens if I answer the big one?

[Joe Friday]

Well, that depends on how you're going to answer it. We understand you wrote your wife some threatening letters. Now, is that right?

[Frank Smith]

I guess you could call him a. Yeah. I told her to get off my back and leave me alone. Told her if she didn't, she was building more trouble than she could handle.

[Joe Friday]

You ever threatened her life?

[Frank Smith]

No, I'm not going to try to tell you that. There weren't times when I could have killed Ada. There were a lot of them, but it wasn't worth it. Not for her.

[Narrator]

What'd you argue about?

[Frank Smith]

Mostly the divorce. I've been trying to get one for the last four years. Ada wouldn't see it. Finally, when I did talk her into it, the settlement she wanted was way out of line. I wouldn't go for it and told her so. What's all this about the fights and the threatening anyway? Something happened to Ada.

[Narrator]

Is that it?

[Joe Friday]

Yes, sir.

[Frank Smith]

Has she been hurt?

[Joe Friday]

Freda's more serious than that.

[Frank Smith]

She dead?

[Joe Friday]

Yes, sir.

[Frank Smith]

You think? I did.

[Joe Friday]

Now we're checking everybody that knew her.

[Frank Smith]

Okay. I told you there were times when I could have. When I maybe wanted to. But I wouldn't go to jail for it. Not ever. You gotta find another boy. And when you do, I'll go his lawyer's fee.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Frank Smith]

How'd they do it?

[Joe Friday]

Piece of lead pipe. Bad? Yeah.

[Frank Smith]

Rough way to go.

[Joe Friday]

Is there an easy way? We made a preliminary search of the room, but we found nothing that would tie in the victim's husband, Oscar Fitzgerald, with the crime. We talked to the desk clerk and he verified the man's story that he'd been in his apartment the evening of the killing. Fitzgerald made arrangements with us to attend the coroner's inquest and Frank and I went back to the City hall. We checked with the crime lab on their investigation. Lt. Lee Jones told us that they'd been able to lift several partial fingerprints from the murder weapon, but that they were impossible to classify. He went on to say that the other prints that had been found at the scene were unusable as evidence, since it would be difficult to get enough points for identification. The other physical evidence taken from the office was of little use. A check had been made of the piece of pipe, but it was found to be of a common type and impossible to trace. Microphotographs had been made of the serrated edges, and these had been booked as evidence. We asked the stats office to make a run on the MO of the crime, and they told us that they would start through their files immediately. For the next two days, Frank and I talked to all of the friends and relatives of the victim, attempting to find a motive for the crime. From what we had to work on, the only plausible reason for the killing was either revenge or jealousy. None of Mrs. Fitzgerald's friends or business acquaintances were able to point out anyone with a strong enough reason to kill the woman. Monday, April 19th. Frank and I got back to the office after interviewing one of the victim's business competitors.

[Narrator]

Well, that's another one that didn't go anyplace.

[Joe Friday]

Seems like that's all we've been drawing on this one, doesn't it?

[Narrator]

Yeah. I'll check the book.

[Joe Friday]

All right. Anything come in from the stats office yet?

[Narrator]

No. Said they'd have the rest to run for us this afternoon.

[Joe Friday]

First bunch didn't turn anything. I got it. Homicide Friday. Yeah, Jack. Anything on him? Sure. We're no place now. Well, no, anything's gotta be. Wanna give me that address? All right. All right. We'll check it. Good. Right, Jack. Thanks again. Bye. Jack, McCready says he talked to one of his informants this morning. Guy came up with a couple of good things, maybe. Yeah, One of them's about a guy in the olympia bar at 4th and Kohler. Fella's pretty drunk. Been doing a lot of talking down there.

[Narrator]

Something for us.

[Joe Friday]

Maybe he's bragging about beating with a piece of pipe. 4:40pm we left the office and drove over to the corner of 4th and Kohler, the Olympia Bar. When we walked in, there were only a few customers in the place. At the far end of the bar, a short, stocky man was sitting alone. In front of him was an empty shot glass and a bottle of beer. He appeared to be pretty drunk, and as we entered, he was talking to the other people seated at the bar.

[Carl Neely]

Any of you guys that don't believe it, just come outside with me. I'll show you. Show you all, every one of you. Bartender, I got an empty glass. Now let's do something about it, huh? I need a drink.

[Joe Friday]

I think you had about enough of that, don't you?

[Carl Neely]

What?

[Joe Friday]

I said you had enough to drink.

[Carl Neely]

Who are you to tell me that, huh? Who are you to come in here and tell me what to do? What's the matter? You think you're cops or something, huh? Is that what you think you called it.

[Joe Friday]

Come on, we want to talk to you.

[Carl Neely]

You mean you are cops?

[Joe Friday]

That's right.

[Carl Neely]

Well, listen, you better get out of here and do it fast if you know what's good for you. You just better.

[Joe Friday]

Frank.

[Narrator]

Yeah?

[Carl Neely]

Stick your hands off me. You guys don't hear good, do you?

[Joe Friday]

Stand still.

[Carl Neely]

You come messing around with me, you're gonna find out. You'll find out good. I'll give you the same thing. I gave her the same thing.

[Joe Friday]

Hold it, Frank. All right, come on, mister. Who are you talking about?

[Carl Neely]

I'll tell you who. I'll tell you good and you'll know. Leave me alone if you know what's good for you. I'm talking about that ADA Fitzgerald, that's who. Hey, Dev. You go messing with me and you'll get what she got. I'm a pretty rough fella, you know? Pretty rough.

[Joe Friday]

Is that right?

[Carl Neely]

You bet you. You're not dealing with a kid, you know.

[Joe Friday]

Well, that makes it even then, doesn't it? You're not dealing with a woman. We took the suspect down to the homicide squadroom. He identified himself as Carl Neely. He was handcuffed to a chair and we ran his name through the record bureau. He had a long string of arrests for various charges, including attempted robbery, assault and assault with intent to do great bodily harm. He'd never been convicted on a felony, but his record showed that he'd served two terms in the county jail for drunk charges and creating a public nuisance. While we were checking his record, the suspect passed out in an alcoholic stupor in the squadroom. We contacted Sergeant Jack McCready and Officer Danny Galindo and asked them to make a search of the suspect's residence in Going over the place, they'd found a blood stained shirt and a coat. The garments were packed in a cardboard box that had been hidden under the kitchen sink. They were brought downtown to us along with an empty envelope found in the apartment. It had been sent to the suspect, Neely, and the return address on the back indicated that the letter had been sent by the victim's Husband, Oscar Fitzgerald. We waited for the suspect to come to enough for us to question him. Frank went out and brought back some hot coffee. We tried to get Neely to drink some of it. 8:40pm.

[Carl Neely]

That'S hot.

[Joe Friday]

All right. Come on. Try some more.

[Frank Smith]

Podbean.

[Joe Friday]

Your message amplified. Ready to share your message with the world? Start your podcast journey with Podbean.

[Frank Smith]

Podbean, the AI powered all in one podcast platform. Thousands of businesses and enterprises trust Podbean to launch their podcasts.

[Joe Friday]

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.

[Frank Smith]

Launch your podcast on Podbean today.

[Carl Neely]

You're cops, huh?

[Joe Friday]

You've been the route before.

[Carl Neely]

Yeah. What am I here for?

[Joe Friday]

I want to talk to you about the Fitzgerald woman.

[Carl Neely]

Ada spouting off again?

[Joe Friday]

You said you killed her.

[Carl Neely]

Figures. Every time I get tanked up, I always killed somebody. Never fails.

[Joe Friday]

All right, tell us about the Fitzgerald woman.

[Carl Neely]

Nothing to tell. I read about it in the papers this morning. I started drinking. It always happens when I've been belting the booze. I right away tell people I killed somebody.

[Joe Friday]

These clothes here belong to you?

[Carl Neely]

Let me see. I don't know. Where'd you get them?

[Joe Friday]

Probably yours.

[Carl Neely]

I don't know.

[Narrator]

You got that many clothes?

[Carl Neely]

Hmm.

[Narrator]

I know all the clothes I got. No trouble at all.

[Carl Neely]

Maybe you don't dress as good as me.

[Joe Friday]

All right, come off it, Neely. You're in trouble. Big trouble. Here. You sat in the bar this morning, told everybody about how you'd beaten a woman to death. We find these clothes in your apartment, Blood stains all over them. Here's another thing. This envelope. Where'd you get this?

[Carl Neely]

Through the mail, like it says. You see the stamp?

[Joe Friday]

You know Oscar Fitzgerald?

[Carl Neely]

I don't get mail from strangers. Sure I know, Em. Is it crime to get a letter? Now?

[Joe Friday]

What was in that envelope?

[Carl Neely]

I don't think. That's none of your business.

[Joe Friday]

Well, we do. What kind of dealings have you got with Oscar Fitzgerald?

[Carl Neely]

You still worked for him?

[Narrator]

Doing what?

[Carl Neely]

He took care of the place when him and Ada were married. Sort of a general handyman.

[Joe Friday]

When did you see him last?

[Carl Neely]

I don't know. Maybe a couple of months ago around there. A couple? Three months now.

[Narrator]

What did he find so important that he wrote you about it?

[Carl Neely]

He loaned me some money. He sent me a check.

[Joe Friday]

It was a loan, huh?

[Carl Neely]

Yeah.

[Narrator]

Sign any sort of note for the.

[Carl Neely]

Money, I endorse the Check it. Said on it I was alone. What are you guys trying to prove anyway? You trying to tie me in with Ada's killing?

[Joe Friday]

You look good for it.

[Carl Neely]

You're off your rocker. I had nothing to do with it. Sure, you got me for drunk, but that's all.

[Narrator]

Your record makes you look good for it.

[Joe Friday]

Clothes we found in your apartment don't help you.

[Narrator]

You sure Oscar Fitzgerald didn't pay you to kill his wife?

[Joe Friday]

Be a lot better if you told us the truth here, Nina.

[Carl Neely]

I'm telling you the truth. It's right in front of you. All you got to do is open your eyes.

[Narrator]

There.

[Joe Friday]

Where'd the blood stains come from?

[Carl Neely]

They're mine.

[Joe Friday]

Well, tell us about it.

[Carl Neely]

I got in a fight with another fella.

[Narrator]

Where?

[Carl Neely]

A bar down on Seventh.

[Joe Friday]

When?

[Carl Neely]

Wednesday.

[Joe Friday]

Last week?

[Carl Neely]

Yeah, last Wednesday.

[Joe Friday]

What time did you have this fight?

[Carl Neely]

Closing time.

[Narrator]

That'd make it about 2:00, huh?

[Carl Neely]

That's when the bar is closed.

[Joe Friday]

Where'd you go after you had the fight?

[Carl Neely]

Went up to a friend's house and had a couple more drinks.

[Narrator]

Who's a friend?

[Carl Neely]

You don't know him. He's got no record.

[Joe Friday]

What's his name?

[Carl Neely]

I don't want him dragged into anything.

[Joe Friday]

What's his name?

[Carl Neely]

Jackie Meadows.

[Narrator]

Let me see your hands, Neely. You got some pretty bad bruises there. You must have hit something pretty hard.

[Carl Neely]

Fight I told you about. That's where those came from.

[Joe Friday]

Tell us what you did after you left the bar.

[Carl Neely]

I told you, I went up to Jackie's. I had a couple of drinks.

[Joe Friday]

What time did you get there?

[Carl Neely]

Around three, maybe three ten.

[Narrator]

What time did you leave?

[Carl Neely]

About five.

[Joe Friday]

Where'd you go?

[Carl Neely]

I don't remember too good. I was pretty boozed up.

[Joe Friday]

Where do you think you went?

[Carl Neely]

Well, Jackie was worried about me being cut up from the fight. He wanted me to see a doctor. Drove me down a Georgia street receiving hospital. I was there until 9:30 Thursday morning.

[Chesterfield Advertiser]

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

[Narrator]

World altitude records, world speed records. All part of Bill Bridgman's job as a supersonic test pilot for Douglas Aircraft. You read about Bill in Time magazine. Now let's meet one of the world's fastest humans and Jacqueline Hazard, who is collaborating with Bill on his new book, Test Pilot. They smoke America's most popular two way cigarette, Chesterfield.

[Carl Neely]

I smoke the King size.

[Narrator]

After hearing what the Chesterfield people have.

[Carl Neely]

Been saying about them, I thought I should try them. I'm convinced they're best for me.

[Ms. Joyce]

It's Chesterfield's for me too, but I like the regular size. Either way, they're everything Bill says, and they're really mild.

[Narrator]

You try Chesterfield, I think you'll find they're best for you. Yes, for the taste you want, the mildness you want. Join the thousands. Now changing to Chesterfield.

[Joe Friday]

A call was put through to Dr. Hall at Georgia Street Receiving Hospital asking if a patient was given emergency treatment on the morning of Thursday, April 15. A search of the hospital records verified the story told to us by the suspect, Carl Neely. We checked through our crime reports and we found that a miscellaneous injury report had been made. From the coroner's report, we knew that the victim had been murdered between the hours of 5am and 7am on that morning. We got in touch with Neely's friend Jackie Meadows, and he also verified the suspect's story. He was booked in at the main jail on a charge of being drunk in a public place. And Frank and I started checking out the remainder of the list that the stats office had given us. Originally, There had been 12 names on the list. We talked to 10 of them. The 11th, a Norman Sitkin, had a record of burglary, attempted robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. He'd been arrested and brought to trial on a charge of murder three years previously, but he'd been acquitted. The circumstances surrounding his arrest were the same as those in the Fitzgerald case. The main reason he'd been released a free man was the testimony of his mother, who had sworn that Sitkin had been home with her on the night of the killing. When we went out to his home, we found that he wasn't there. We talked to his mother and she told us that he'd been in San Diego for the past three days. Under interrogation, we established the fact that on the night of the Fitzgerald killing, Sitkin hadn't been at home, but that he had been in Los Angeles. We put in a call to the San Diego authorities and talked to Lt. Mort Gear in the homicide detail. We contacted the hotel where he was staying in Los angeles and a 24 hour stakeout was placed on the location. Wednesday, April 21st. Frank and I got back from lunch.

[Narrator]

Better put in a call to Mort, huh? See if they got anything on Sitkin. Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

You want to do it?

[Narrator]

Right. Okay. Hi, this Frank Smith, Robbery. Yeah, I'd like to put in the call of San Diego PD Homicide Bureau. Lieutenant Morton Gear.

[Joe Friday]

No, it's a homicide.

[Narrator]

Yeah, BR 132549. Yeah, that's one. That's three two six eight.

[Joe Friday]

Huh?

[Narrator]

Oh, five eight.

[Joe Friday]

Right.

[Narrator]

Okay, Sam. Thanks. I'm on this one, Joe.

[Joe Friday]

Sorry. Homicide. Friday. Yes, sir. No, that's right. When was that? Yes, sir, right away. Cancel that call, Frank.

[Narrator]

What do you got?

[Joe Friday]

Sitkin just walked into his hotel. Frank and I left the office immediately and drove out to Sitkins Hotel. We talked to the officers on stakeout and they told us that the suspect had just returned. They went on to explain that they'd given Sitkin no reason to suspect that anything was wrong and that he'd gone directly to his room. Frank and I got in the elevator and we went up to the fourth floor.

[Chesterfield Advertiser]

Yeah?

[Carl Neely]

All right.

[Frank Smith]

Just a minute. Yeah, what do you want?

[Joe Friday]

You Norman Sitkin?

[Narrator]

Yeah, what do you want?

[Joe Friday]

Police officer. Come on.

[Frank Smith]

You got no right to do this. Let me see your warrant.

[Joe Friday]

Get your coat. Sitkin, we want to talk to you.

[Narrator]

What for?

[Frank Smith]

What you got to talk to me about? I got nothing to say.

[Joe Friday]

Get your coat.

[Narrator]

Why?

[Frank Smith]

What's the charge? What are you taking me in for?

[Joe Friday]

Suspicion of murder.

[Narrator]

You're kidding.

[Joe Friday]

Well, you just keep thinking, man.

[Frank Smith]

You mean this is for real?

[Joe Friday]

Come on, let's go.

[Frank Smith]

Now, wait a minute. I want to know what this is all about.

[Joe Friday]

Is that so?

[Carl Neely]

Why, sure.

[Frank Smith]

Figure I had something to do with that woman who was beaten to death downtown. Fitzgerald. I think that's the name.

[Carl Neely]

Huh?

[Frank Smith]

Isn't that what you think?

[Joe Friday]

Well, you seem to know all about it.

[Frank Smith]

Well, you're way off on this one.

[Narrator]

I got an alibi that you can't break.

[Frank Smith]

I can see you guys figuring. Because I stood this kind of beef once before. You can make it stick this time.

[Narrator]

Well, it won't work, cop.

[Frank Smith]

None of it fits together. I can prove where I was that night every minute.

[Joe Friday]

All right.

[Frank Smith]

That's right.

[Narrator]

Every minute.

[Frank Smith]

You check in my house, Happens I.

[Joe Friday]

Was with my mother.

[Frank Smith]

Just like the other time. All night I was home.

[Joe Friday]

You're gonna stand on that?

[Frank Smith]

Well, there isn't any other way.

[Joe Friday]

It's gonna make it a lot easier then.

[Frank Smith]

What's that supposed to mean?

[Joe Friday]

We've talked to your mother. She says you weren't home that night. She's wrong.

[Narrator]

You let me talk to her. She'll tell you. You just let me talk to her.

[Joe Friday]

She's sure you weren't there. She's willing to testify to that.

[Carl Neely]

Get out of my way.

[Joe Friday]

All right, come on. Let me get the cuffs. Yeah. Hold still.

[Narrator]

Funny, isn't it?

[Joe Friday]

What's that?

[Narrator]

Looks like he might have been good.

[Joe Friday]

On that first killing.

[Narrator]

One he was acquitted on. His mother might have lied on the stand.

[Joe Friday]

That's not going to make a lot of difference, is it? Huh? He's going to make up for it on this one.

[Narrator]

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

[Chesterfield Advertiser]

On August 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. Earlier, George Feniman told you exactly why the Chesterfield you smoked today is the best cigarette ever made and best for you. Now the rest is up to you. Get a carton or two for yourself. Smoke them and you'll say as we do, it's Chesterfield's for.

[Narrator]

Norman.

[Chesterfield Advertiser]

Edward Sitkin was tried and convicted for murder in the first degree. On recommendation of the jury, he received a maximum penalty. And on July 19, he was executed in the lethal gas chamber at the State Penitentiary, San Quentin, California. You have just heard Dragnet. A series of authentic cases from official files. Technical advice comes from the office of Chief of Police W.H. parker, Los Angeles Police Department. Technical Advisors, Captain Jack Donahoe, Sergeant Marty Wynn, Sergeant Vance Fraser. Heard tonight were Ben Alexander, Virginia Greg, Herb Ellis. 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. Absolutely pure, non mineral, harmless to health. 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 light and mild smoke. Hear Rocky Fortune following John Cameron Swayze and the news on the NBC Radio Network.