Dragnet: The Big TV 03/02/1954

Summary

Dragnet: The Big TV (03/02/1954) — Detailed Summary

Presented by Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio

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1. Introduction to the Case

Timestamp: [02:51]

The episode begins with Detective Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner, Frank Smith, receiving a troubling missing persons report. A young mother, Harriet Shipley, and her nine-month-old baby have disappeared from their apartment located at 1865 Malabar Street. Initially considered a routine missing persons case, investigative developments suggest potential foul play, prompting the detectives to delve deeper into the disappearance.

2. Interview with Barbara Fleischer

Timestamp: [03:08] - [07:07]

Joe and Frank visit Barbara Fleischer, the apartment manager, to gather information about Harriet Shipley. Barbara shares her history with Harriet:

• Early Relationship: Harriet and Barbara were initially friendly, often sharing afternoon coffees and bonding over personal matters like caring for a baby.

• Change in Behavior: Over time, Harriet became increasingly depressed due to her husband’s army deployment overseas. She exhibited mood swings and expressed intense longing for her husband's presence.

• Attempted Suicide: Barbara recounts finding Harriet in a critical state after attempting to take her own life, leading to Harriet’s hospitalization from which she was saved. This traumatic event strained their relationship, resulting in Harriet becoming hostile towards Barbara.

• Final Days: Harriet left abruptly without notice, taking all her personal belongings but leaving the baby’s clothes and a phonograph behind.

Notable Quote:

Barbara Fleischer: "[Harriet] just got so sad, she couldn't take it anymore."
[05:01]

3. Investigation of the Dream Palace Dance Hall

Timestamp: [07:08] - [12:20]

Detectives trace Harriet’s associations to the Dream Palace Dance Hall, a local establishment where Harriet worked as a hostess under the alias "Nadine." Here, they meet Ernest Lasnick, the proprietor, who provides insights into Harriet's work and personal life:

• Employment Details: Harriet, known as Nadine at the club, was a popular hostess who attracted many patrons. Her performance garnered attention, including from Cliff Bender, a soldier who became infatuated with her.

• Conflict with Cliff Bender: Cliff's persistent affections towards Harriet caused friction, especially after Harriet announced plans to marry her soldier husband. A physical altercation ensued between Cliff and Harriet’s husband, further escalating tensions.

• Cliff’s Threats: Ernest reveals that Cliff had threatened to harm Harriet, stating, "he was gonna kill her" ([12:38]).

4. Following Leads on Cliff Bender

Timestamp: [12:20] - [15:15]

Joe and Frank investigate Cliff Bender, a suspect with a prior suspicion of burglary but no concrete evidence linking him to Harriet’s disappearance. Their research uncovers:

• Previous Arrest: Cliff was previously arrested for suspected burglary but released due to insufficient evidence.

• Current Status: As of June, Cliff had abruptly vacated his apartment without leaving a forwarding address, making him a person of interest.

• Criminal Record: Detectives learn from their colleagues that Cliff has a history of suspensible behavior and is considered dangerous.

Notable Quote:

Ernest Lasnick: "He said that she was his girl. Might take some time, but he'd get her for running out on it."
[12:21]

5. Discovery at the Crime Lab

Timestamp: [16:48] - [18:57]

The investigation leads Joe and Frank to Cliff Bender's former residence, where they discover blood-stained baby clothes. The crime lab confirms that the stains are indeed human blood. Despite this significant find, there is no direct evidence linking Cliff to the disappearance beyond the threatening behavior.

6. Televised Identification and San Diego Lead

Timestamp: [10:45] - [16:48]

To broaden their search, the detectives broadcast Harriet’s photograph on a television police program. This move yields a vital lead:

• Public Response: A bus driver reports seeing Harriet with her baby in San Diego, suggesting she may have fled the area.

• Follow-Up Action: Joe and Frank verify the lead and prepare to investigate the San Diego location, hoping to locate Harriet or gather more information about her whereabouts.

7. Visit to the Camarillo Mental Hospital and Pauline Lavin

Timestamp: [20:22] - [25:04]

The search leads Joe and Frank to a state mental hospital in Camarillo, where they encounter a patient resembling Harriet. Upon identification:

• Hospital Findings: The patient, Harriet, was committed under the name Harriet Lavin, indicating she is Harriet Shipley’s sister. Harriet is undergoing treatment in a violent ward with little hope for recovery.

• Interaction with Pauline Lavin: Detectives meet Harriet’s sister, Pauline Lavin, who reveals critical information:

  • Family Tensions: Pauline describes the strained relationship between Harriet and Mrs. Shipley (Harriet’s mother-in-law), highlighting Mrs. Shipley’s disapproval of Harriet as an unsuitable partner for her son.

  • Tragic Events: Pauline recounts Harriet’s deteriorating mental state, her attempt to kill herself, and the death of Harriet’s baby, "Big Jerry," who succumbed to a fever shortly after Harriet took him out during a stormy night.

Notable Quote:

Pauline Lavin: "Harriet sat around for a week. Didn't say anything. Didn't do nothing. Just stare at the wall."
[23:06]

8. Confrontation with Mrs. Shipley

Timestamp: [25:14] - [28:04]

Returning to Los Angeles, Joe and Frank confront Mrs. Shipley to obtain further clarity:

• Mrs. Shipley's Stance: She remains indifferent to Harriet’s plight, expressing animosity towards her:

  • Blame on Harriet: Mrs. Shipley accuses Harriet of ruining her son's life, stating, "She is the one. Nobody else to consider in this mess. Just her."

  • Baby’s Fate: She reveals the heartbreaking truth that the baby, Big Jerry, has died due to illness after Harriet took him out in the rain.

• Emotional Turmoil: Mrs. Shipley laments her loss, revealing a lack of support and understanding from those around her.

Notable Quote:

Mrs. Shipley: "Harriet sat around for a week. Didn't say anything. Didn't do nothing. Just stare at the wall."
[26:19]

9. Case Conclusion and Closure

Timestamp: [28:04] - [29:25]

Despite uncovering the tragic outcomes of Harriet and her baby, the police determine that no criminal act was definitively linked to the disappearance:

• Official Decision: A meeting in Captain Lorman's office concludes that the case lacks sufficient evidence of foul play beyond the personal tragedies, leading to its official closure.

• Closing Narration: The episode wraps up by reaffirming the authenticity of the case, highlighting the procedural aspects of Dragnet's storytelling.

Notable Quote:

Joe Friday: "You are listening to Dragnet, the authentic story of your police force in action."
[28:26]

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Key Takeaways and Insights

• Complex Human Emotions: The case delves deep into the psychological struggles of Harriet Shipley, showcasing how personal despair can lead to tragic outcomes.

• Family Dynamics: Mrs. Shipley’s disapproval and strained relationship with Harriet significantly impact the unfolding events, highlighting the role of family pressure in individual actions.

• Law Enforcement Challenges: Detectives face the difficulty of piecing together emotional and fragmented human stories without concrete evidence, illustrating the nuanced nature of investigative work.

• Societal Reflections: The episode reflects societal attitudes towards mental health, familial expectations, and the stigmatization of troubled individuals during the 1950s.

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Conclusion

"Dragnet: The Big TV" presents a poignant narrative intertwining loss, mental health struggles, and familial discord. Through meticulous police work, the story underscores the complexities detectives face when addressing crimes rooted in deep personal conflicts rather than clear-cut criminal motives.

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Transcript

[Joe Friday]

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[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.

[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.

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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 missing persons detail. You get a call that a young mother and a nine month old baby have disappeared. Routine investigation turns up the possibility of foul play. Your job, find them. 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.

[Chesterfield Advertisement]

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 Tuesday, August 12th. It was warm in Los Angeles. We were working the day. Watch out. A homicide division, missing persons detail. My partner's Frank Smith. The boss is Captain Lorman. My name's Friday. We were on our way out from the office and it was 10:14am when we got to 1865 Malabar Street. Manager's apartment.

[Frank Smith]

Better try it again, huh?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Barbara Fleischer]

Just a minute. I'm moving as fast as I can.

[Frank Smith]

Sounds like she's got Trouble.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, yeah. Ms. Fleischer?

[Barbara Fleischer]

Yeah, what do you want?

[Joe Friday]

Police officers, ma'am. We like to talk to you.

[Barbara Fleischer]

Come In. I gotta take care of that kid.

[Joe Friday]

Thank you very much.

[Frank Smith]

Nice, ma'am.

[Barbara Fleischer]

Sit down. I'll be right back.

[Joe Friday]

All right. Thank you.

[Frank Smith]

Sounds like colic to me, all right. Yeah, sounds like colic. Wonder if she's got a hot water bottle.

[Joe Friday]

What?

[Frank Smith]

Hot water bottle. Put it on the kid's stomach. Makes him feel better. Both of ours had the colic.

[Joe Friday]

Pour out three hot water bottles on two kids?

[Frank Smith]

No, Joe. We lost a stopper on one of them.

[Barbara Fleischer]

Baby's teething. Having a rough time.

[Joe Friday]

Oh, this is my partner, Frank Smith. My name's Friday. We'd like to ask you some questions about one of your tenants.

[Barbara Fleischer]

Oh, which one?

[Frank Smith]

Mrs. Shipley. We understand she had apartment 207.

[Barbara Fleischer]

Yeah, she did. What about her?

[Joe Friday]

You know where we can get in touch with her?

[Barbara Fleischer]

Ain't got any idea.

[Frank Smith]

When'd you see her last?

[Barbara Fleischer]

Guess it must have been a month ago.

[Joe Friday]

Possible you might be able to give us an exact date on that.

[Barbara Fleischer]

Well, if I could have done that. I told you right out, I got nothing to hide.

[Joe Friday]

Well, we didn't mean to say that you had, ma'am.

[Barbara Fleischer]

Well, it sounded like it. Sounded an awful lot like it. I'm gonna be honest with you.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am.

[Barbara Fleischer]

When Harriet first moved in here, we got along fine. She was all the time wanting me to tell her how to take care of the baby when it came.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am.

[Frank Smith]

Go ahead.

[Barbara Fleischer]

Got along just fine. Used to have our little cup of coffee in the afternoon. Chummy. Then all of a sudden, it all got different.

[Joe Friday]

How was that?

[Barbara Fleischer]

Just did. Her husband was overseas in the army. I guess Harriet missed him pretty much. Anyway, she was always saying how she did. Wished he could be here when the baby was born. Got terrible depressed, I see. Moody, you know?

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am.

[Barbara Fleischer]

I did what I could to cheer her up. Used to go up there and we'd sit and talk. Taught her how to knit. Gave her some needles and yarns. A little present. I thought maybe it'd give her something to think about. Kind of take her mind off her and her husband. Didn't do no good.

[Joe Friday]

Well, how long had her husband been away, do you know?

[Barbara Fleischer]

Four months this time. He's over in Japan, I think. Army?

[Joe Friday]

Mm.

[Barbara Fleischer]

Harriet used to go out once in a while, go down at the show. Seemed like just about every picture she saw made her sadder. I guess that's why she did it. Just got so sad, she couldn't take it anymore.

[Joe Friday]

Huh. What's that?

[Barbara Fleischer]

Tried to kill herself and Shepley. Yeah, I got the Kids in bed one night and went up there. I hadn't heard nothing from her that day, so I went up to see how she was. Good thing I did, too. Found her right there in the living room. She cut her wrists right away. I called for the doctor, and all the ambulances and police came running around. Took her to the hospital. Big deal. Guess I found her in time, though. They pulled her through.

[Joe Friday]

Mm.

[Barbara Fleischer]

I walk up there and find her dying that far from death's door. And when she comes home from the hospital, what thanks do you think I get?

[Joe Friday]

I wouldn't know. Go ahead.

[Barbara Fleischer]

Nothing, Not a single solitary word do I get. She's mad. Says I should have left her alone, let her done it, come in here when she got back and read me off in words that I ain't used to hearing. I got five kids, mister. They take a lot of time. And I ain't got enough to go running around after. Nobody who don't thank a person for saving their life like that. I called it quits right then. Right at that minute, we were no longer friends.

[Joe Friday]

When did she make the attempt on her life?

[Barbara Fleischer]

Last September. I don't remember the date. I think it was the second, maybe the third week. I'm not sure about what day it was. Anyway, after I saved her life, she's mad at me.

[Joe Friday]

Does she have any people here in Los Angeles?

[Barbara Fleischer]

Would you know, I never heard her talk of none. She's got a sister. I don't know, but I don't know where she is. Don't think Harriet ever said.

[Joe Friday]

Well, what did she say to you when she left? Did you give you any idea where she was going?

[Barbara Fleischer]

I didn't even see her. She didn't even come by and say, so long, goodbye. Take a jump. Nothing. She just left. One night she's here, next morning she's gone.

[Joe Friday]

She get any mail while she was here?

[Barbara Fleischer]

Yeah. Once in a while she'd get a letter from her husband. Then there was a couple of letters from San Francisco. I don't know who they was from.

[Joe Friday]

She'd take everything with her, all of her personal things.

[Barbara Fleischer]

Nothing. Left it all here. Of course, it's not much, but it's all here.

[Joe Friday]

I see. Where are the things, ma'am?

[Barbara Fleischer]

Downstairs in the basement. I got it all put away in case she ever comes back. Gonna cost her too, storage. And for me to pack it. I told you, it isn't much. Some dresses, few clothes for the baby. Phonograph, couple of records. That's about it. You can see them if you want.

[Joe Friday]

To.

[Frank Smith]

We'd like to take a look at them before we leave.

[Barbara Fleischer]

Yeah, sure thing. Can't let you take them, though. I gotta collect for the storage.

[Frank Smith]

Yes, ma'am.

[Joe Friday]

Ms. Shipley have any close friends that you know of?

[Barbara Fleischer]

Not that I know. Of course. She might have had some down at the Dream Palace.

[Joe Friday]

Where's that?

[Barbara Fleischer]

Where she worked. Dance hall downtown. She was kind of hostess there.

[Joe Friday]

That's the name of the place. Is it Dream Palace?

[Barbara Fleischer]

Yeah. She might have had some friends down there. None of them ever came here, though. At least if they did, I never saw them.

[Joe Friday]

Do you know of any reason that she might have left in such a hurry right off?

[Barbara Fleischer]

I can't think of one. There was something wrong with her, though, when she came back from the hospital, you know, when she had the baby, she was worried about something.

[Joe Friday]

Would you know what it was?

[Barbara Fleischer]

No. All I know is that when she'd been home a couple of days, she came down here and asked me to do some work on the apartment. I told her if she wanted anything done, she could do it herself, the way she talked to me.

[Joe Friday]

Well, what'd she want done?

[Barbara Fleischer]

Silliest thing I ever heard of. She didn't have anything to steal, ma'am. She wanted all the locks on the doors changed.

[Joe Friday]

10:46Am in the company of the apartment manager, Barbara Fleischer. Frank and I went down to the basement and looked through the missing woman's effects. Other than the phonograph, several cardboard boxes of used baby clothes and cheap woman's dresses, we found nothing. There were no snapshots or letters to aid us in ascertaining where she might have gone. We asked Mrs. Fleischer to notify us in the event that she heard from the Shipley woman. We put in a call to Georgia Street Receiving Hospital and verified the story about the attempted suicide. 11:15am we checked the phone book for the address of the Dream Palace Dance Hall. It was on the second floor of a large building at the corner of 7th and Margo streets. On the front of the building were several faded photographs of contest winners with the cups that they'd won and the name of the proprietor, Ernest Lasnick. We went. Upstairs was a large barn like room with crepe paper birds hanging over the lights in the rear of the place. At one of the tables we found Lasnicks. He was just eating his lunch.

[Frank Smith]

Mr. Lassnick?

[Ernest Lasnick]

Yeah. What do you want?

[Frank Smith]

I'd like to ask you some questions. We're police officers. My name's Smith. My partner, Sergeant Friday.

[Ernest Lasnick]

Hi.

[Joe Friday]

How are You.

[Ernest Lasnick]

I won't. Show your hands. Got butter all over them. Sit down.

[Joe Friday]

Thank you.

[Ernest Lasnick]

Care for the sandwich?

[Joe Friday]

No, thank you.

[Ernest Lasnick]

You do? Go right ahead. Zola. Makin's bread, butter, salami, pickles. Help yourself.

[Joe Friday]

No, thanks. Mr. Lasnick.

[Ernest Lasnick]

Don't mind if I go ahead, huh? Bunch of kids coming in at 3:30. Would like to get the place cleaned up before they get here.

[Joe Friday]

No, sir. You go right ahead.

[Ernest Lasnick]

What do you want to see me about?

[Joe Friday]

It's about one of your employees.

[Ernest Lasnick]

Yeah?

[Joe Friday]

Which one? Girl named Harriet Shipley.

[Ernest Lasnick]

Oh, yeah, I remember. She don't work here no more.

[Frank Smith]

She doesn't work anymore?

[Ernest Lasnick]

No.

[Frank Smith]

Got any idea where she is?

[Ernest Lasnick]

No, not the slightest. I ain't seen Nadine in about maybe six months.

[Frank Smith]

No, sir, you don't understand. We're inquiring about a Harriet Shipley.

[Ernest Lasnick]

Yeah, I know. I told you, I ain't seen her in six months.

[Frank Smith]

What's this about Nadine.

[Ernest Lasnick]

That's her club name. See, lots of girls don't like to use their real names. In case a fellow wants to get chummy away from here. It's easier if we don't know the girl's real name. Harriet. Using Nadine, I understand. We got a bunch of them. When one of the girls leaves, we put the name back in a hat. New girl picks. It had 14 Nadine since we opened 27 Althea's.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, sir. Do you have any idea where the Shipley girl is?

[Ernest Lasnick]

No. Might check her husband. He might know.

[Joe Friday]

We understand he was in the army.

[Ernest Lasnick]

Yeah, that's right. It's overseas. He should know where his wife is. Don't ask him.

[Joe Friday]

Well, we'll probably do that, sir. We thought maybe we could turn her up ourselves. There's been a missing report filed on her.

[Ernest Lasnick]

Missing, huh? Who told it, sir? Who told about her being missing?

[Frank Smith]

The report was filed by our mother in law.

[Ernest Lasnick]

Mm. Well, I wish I could help you fellas out.

[Frank Smith]

The last time you saw the Shipley girl, she'd say anything about leaving town?

[Ernest Lasnick]

No. Wouldn't be surprised, though.

[Joe Friday]

Why'd he say that?

[Ernest Lasnick]

Poor kid was scared to death. Told me she wanted to get away.

[Joe Friday]

Do you know what she was frightened about?

[Ernest Lasnick]

Yeah. Cliff Bender. That's what she was afraid of. Cliff?

[Joe Friday]

Well, who's he?

[Ernest Lasnick]

Well, look, I'll tell you. The whole thing be easier that way. One favor I gotta ask her.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, sir.

[Ernest Lasnick]

You won't tell Cliff? I told you he'd come up here. He could tear the place apart easy. You gotta promise me you won't tell him.

[Joe Friday]

All right. Sir? You go ahead.

[Ernest Lasnick]

Well, Nadine, Harriet. Well, she came to work for me about a year and a half ago. Came in and told me she'd had some experience in a dance place in the Midwest. I don't remember the name right off. Probably come to me. Yes, sir. Well, I told her I'd try her. You know, sort of probation.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, sir.

[Ernest Lasnick]

Well, worked out fine. End of the week, I put her on permanent. She did real well. A lot of guys got to come in just to dance with her. Wouldn't have nobody else. Just Nadine or Harriet.

[Joe Friday]

Mm.

[Ernest Lasnick]

That's how she met Cliff. He come in one night, fell for her, and they started to go together. I told him I didn't like the idea of girls going out with the customers. Not good business. Didn't make any difference to them, though. They kept right on seeing each other.

[Joe Friday]

That's this Bender fella.

[Ernest Lasnick]

Yeah. Well, anyway, one night the soldier come in. He was took right away with Nadine. Asked her for a dance. Kept buying tickets all night so he could dance with her. Come back the next night, same thing. All night long, he danced with Nadine.

[Joe Friday]

That's Harriet.

[Ernest Lasnick]

Yeah, that's right. Called her Nadine. You know, I told you about it. Made Cliff plenty sore, but there wasn't anything he could do about it. She wanted to be with a soldier. Wasn't too long before she told him he was going to get married. Well, word got around about that. Really made Cliff hacked. Real hacked.

[Joe Friday]

Yes.

[Ernest Lasnick]

Yeah, well, him and his soldier Shipley had a fight downstairs one night after we closed. Guess Cliff waited for him and Nadine to come down. Anyway, it was a real brawl, cops and everything. Cliff really cleaned up on the soldier. Didn't do any good, though.

[Frank Smith]

What do you mean?

[Ernest Lasnick]

Nadine told Cliff to stay away from her. Keep far away. Told him that her and the soldier was going to get married and that they were through. She met Cliff and her. Well, the soldier, Nadine got married a couple days later, and she quit her job right after that. I heard he went overseas and Cliff was around, trying to break things up. Didn't do no good, though. Nadine loved a soldier and she planned to stay with him.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, sir.

[Ernest Lasnick]

Well, I tried to talk to Cliff, tell him to stay out of it. Leave the girl alone.

[Joe Friday]

What was that?

[Ernest Lasnick]

I told him, leave the girl alone. Didn't do any good. He was sure hot. He said that she was his girl. Might take some time, but he'd get her for running out on it. I figured he told her that, too. That's what she was afraid of. Don't blame her. Cliff told me that I'd believe him.

[Joe Friday]

What's that, sir?

[Ernest Lasnick]

That he was gonna kill her.

[Joe Friday]

12:26Pm after we'd gotten the names and addresses of the employees of the Dream palace who knew the missing girl, Frank and I went back to the office. We had the names checked to the Record Bureau, but we found that only one of the 14 people on the list had arrest records. That one was a Cliff Bender, who had been picked up on a charge of suspicion of burglary. However, according to the information on the report, he'd been released because of lack of evidence. We checked the log about the fight Lasnick had mentioned. We found that an FI card had been filed, but that no arrest had been made. We went over to room 45 and we talked with Sergeant Eggenweiler and Sergeant Rubles, the officers who'd handled the burglary case. They told us that in their contacts with Bender, he was sullen and uncooperative. They told us that he had been seen in the company of known criminals. They also told us that in their opinion, they considered the man dangerous. We checked his last known address, but we found that he'd moved in July, leaving no forwarding address. While Frank and I checked out the rest of the missing girl's friends and acquaintances, Sergeant Graham and Cliff Bailey, tried to check on Bender. We talked to everybody on the list we'd gotten from Ernest Laznick, but none of them could give us any idea where we might find the Shipley girl. Most of them, however, told us about the threat that Bender had made against her life and expressed the opinion that he was responsible for our disappearance. The next day, Wednesday, August 13th, Frank and I went by communications, then we checked back into the office.

[Frank Smith]

I tell you, the mother in law, that missing girl called again this morning.

[Joe Friday]

No. No, you didn't.

[Frank Smith]

Yeah, she wanted to know how we were doing, what progress we've been able to make.

[Joe Friday]

What'd you tell her?

[Frank Smith]

Well, I filled her in on what we found. I didn't tell her about Bender, though. Just said we thought we'd be able to find the girl. You talked to her when she made the original report, didn't you, Joe?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Frank Smith]

What'd you think?

[Joe Friday]

Well, how do you mean?

[Frank Smith]

Well, isn't there something there that's a little off base to you?

[Joe Friday]

I don't know what you're trying to get at.

[Frank Smith]

Well, it just seems to me that she doesn't care if we find her daughter in law or not. All she cares about is the Kid?

[Joe Friday]

Well, yeah, I kind of got that idea myself. The way she talked, doesn't seem that she and the girl got along too well, does it?

[Frank Smith]

No. Just seems like there's something she isn't telling us. I don't know what it is. I asked her this morning if she'd heard from her son, if he knew anything about where his wife might be.

[Joe Friday]

What'd she say to that?

[Frank Smith]

Well, she told me she didn't want to bother him making worry. Wouldn't even tell me his mailing address. Said she didn't want him alarmed unless there was a reason.

[Joe Friday]

The way I see it is the wife being gone is reason enough.

[Frank Smith]

Yeah, that's the way it seems to me. And I told her that. She said our job was just to find the girl and the baby, and that's all.

[Joe Friday]

Cooperation like that isn't going to make it any easier, is it? We can only do so much if she isn't going to help us.

[Frank Smith]

Well, it doesn't make a lot of sense, her filing the report and then holding out information.

[Joe Friday]

We better get over and talk to her again, see if we can get the whole story. How about Graham and Bailey? You heard from them?

[Frank Smith]

No. There's a note in the book. They got a lead on Bender. Graham said they were going to run it down for us this morning.

[Joe Friday]

Uh huh. What time you got now?

[Frank Smith]

9:43.

[Joe Friday]

I want to talk to the skipper. Make arrangements to put a picture of the Shipley girl on Suspects wanted this afternoon. Might be able to turn something, huh?

[Frank Smith]

Sure.

[Joe Friday]

A lot of loose ends. Yeah, I get it. Missing person's Friday. Yeah. Graham. Where? What'd she say? 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.

[Ernest Lasnick]

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[Joe Friday]

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[Frank Smith]

What do you mean? What?

[Joe Friday]

Checked out last June, about the same time the Shipley girl disappeared. Landlady hasn't seen him since. Guys came up with something else? Yeah, a couple of shirts for a baby. Blood stains all over him. 10:02am we got to the apartment where Bender had been living. The crew from the crime lab were there and they were photographing the room and the clothing that had been found. Sergeant J. Allen told us that he'd have to run a precipitate test on the stains before he could tell whether or not they were of human origin. 10:45am they finished their investigation on the scene and they went back to Central Station to compile the results. Frank called the office and a local and an APB were put out on Cliff Bender asking that he be picked up as a possible suspect. We also had his card flagged in the Record Bureau. We talked to the landlady of the apartment building and she told us that Bender had left his apartment hurriedly one night about the middle of June. She was unable to tell us the exact date, but she did go on to say that she'd been getting a check for the rent each month. We asked her if she could show us either one of the checks or an envelope that it had come in. She explained that she had thrown the envelopes away and had cashed the checks. She was unable to tell us where they'd been mailed from. She said that as far as she knew, she'd never seen the Shipley girl in Bender's apartment. We asked her to notify us immediately in the event that the suspect returned. We put in a call to the bank where the rent checks were cashed and we asked that they give us the information on him. 1:30pm Frank and I went over to the crime lab and we talked to J. Allen. He told us that the stains on the baby clothes were human blood. He showed us the photographs taken, but there was nothing in them that would give us any lead as to either the girls or Bender's whereabouts. That afternoon, the picture of Harriet Shipley was telecast over the police program. We got several calls from citizens who said that they'd seen the girl. We checked them all out. One of the callers, a bus driver, told us that he'd seen the girl and the baby on his bus during the month of June and that she'd gotten off in San Diego. We alerted the police in that city to look for her. Thursday morning Frank and I checked into the office. You want to check the book, Frank? See if there's anything from San Diego. Right. I got it. Missing person is Friday. Yes, that's right. Yes, we did, huh? Where? You sure about that? Right away, Brian. Get your coat.

[Frank Smith]

What do you got?

[Joe Friday]

Shipley girl. They found her.

[Chesterfield Advertisement]

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

[Narrator]

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[Barbara Fleischer]

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[Narrator]

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[Joe Friday]

Now I go for the king size.

[Narrator]

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[Joe Friday]

The call had come from a nurse at the state mental hospital in Camarillo. She told me that they had a patient who resembled a photograph of the missing girl as televised on our police program. Frank and I left the office and drove out to the hospital. We talked to the nurse and to the doctor who was taking care of the sick girl. From personal effects and the scars on her wrists. We were reasonably sure of the identification. The doctor told us that the girl had been committed on July 17 by her sister under the name Harriet Lavin. He told us that the girl was undergoing treatment, but that there was little hope for a complete recovery and that it would be some time before she could be permitted to leave the violent ward. We tried to talk to her, but we were unable to get any coherent answers. We asked about the baby, but the authorities were unable to give us any information. We got the name and address of the sister who had committed the Shipley girl, and we drove down to San Diego to talk to her. It was a small place in a wartime housing development. The paint was peeling off the plyboard walls and the front yard was overgrown with weeds. The woman who answered the door identified herself as Pauline Lavin. Sure.

[Pauline Lavin]

What do you want to know? Don't make no Difference. Now, go back and tell her it's too late. Way too late.

[Joe Friday]

Tell who, ma'am?

[Pauline Lavin]

Mrs. Shipley, Harriet's mother in law. You go back and tell her she done it. Good. Ain't nothing left to do to Harriet. It's all been done. You can tell her that.

[Joe Friday]

Well, we don't work for Ms. Shipley, ma'am. We're trying to find out what happened to your sister and the baby.

[Pauline Lavin]

Who asked you to find out in the first place? It was her, wasn't it? Wasn't she the one?

[Frank Smith]

She filed a report.

[Pauline Lavin]

That's what I mean. Well, you go back and tell her there's nothing more she can do to Harriet or the baby or Big Jerry. Nothing at all she can do.

[Joe Friday]

Where is the baby, ma'am?

[Pauline Lavin]

He's not here.

[Joe Friday]

Do you know where he is?

[Pauline Lavin]

Yes, but I'm not going to tell you. I'm not gonna tell anybody. I promised Harriet I wouldn't tell, and I'm gonna keep the promise.

[Joe Friday]

Miss Lavender, we don't want to hurt your sister. We're just trying to get to the truth. Now, maybe you better tell us what you know.

[Pauline Lavin]

You ain't doing this for old Miss Shipley?

[Joe Friday]

No, ma'am.

[Pauline Lavin]

All right, then, I'll tell you. But not for her. I wouldn't give her the right time of day. She's the one that did it. The whole thing. You can lay it right at her feet.

[Joe Friday]

All right, you want to tell us about it?

[Pauline Lavin]

Since they got married, she's given the kids trouble. Right from the first she heard about it. Said that Harriet wasn't good enough for his son. Said Harriet was cheap. Didn't make any difference to the kids. They got married anyway. They were in love, so they got married. Soon as Big Jerry went overseas, she started on Harriet to get an annulment. All the time writing her letters, telling her how cheap she was, that if she really loved Jerry, she'd get an annulment. And she found out about the baby, so she started saying how they should get a divorce.

[Joe Friday]

Does Harriet's husband know about this? Would you know?

[Pauline Lavin]

Sure. All along he knew it. He didn't like it. Told his mother to stay out of their lives. Kept telling her, but it didn't do any good. None. Then Harriet got the wire. One that told about Big Jerry being dead. Almost killed her. I thought it was going to. They was really in love. Isn't often you see something like them, too. Real love. The kind you live, not the kind you talk about.

[Joe Friday]

Mm.

[Pauline Lavin]

One night, right after she got the wire. She got a phone call from San Francisco, from old Miss Shipley. She told Harriet that she was going to the court to take the baby away from her. Said she could prove Harriet wasn't a good mother and she didn't deserve to have the baby.

[Joe Friday]

Was Harriet living here at the time?

[Pauline Lavin]

No. She'd come down every weekend, but she wasn't living here. There was a guy up in LA that was giving her trouble. Fellow named Bender. I think he was with her when she tried to kill herself. He ran out so he wouldn't get mixed up in it. He was always giving Harriet trouble, so she left one night to get away from him. And old Mrs. Shipley, she came down here and said that she just wanted to be left alone with her baby. That's not a lot to ask, is it? Just to be left alone?

[Joe Friday]

No, ma'am.

[Pauline Lavin]

It was for old Mrs. Shipley. She just wouldn't let Harriet alone. Kept after her, saying how she was gonna take away the baby. How Harriet was an unfit mother. Kind of got in her mind. Finally, there wasn't much else she was thinking about but how to keep her baby. She went out walking one night, took the baby with her. Rained. Rained real hard. I guess the baby took cold. Anyway, the next day he came down with a bad fever. A couple days later, he was dead. Not even a year old and he was dead.

[Joe Friday]

You wanna go on?

[Pauline Lavin]

Harriet sat around for a week. Didn't say anything. Didn't do nothing. Just stare at the wall. Didn't even cry. Just sat and looked at the wall. And all of a sudden she just fell apart. I called the doctor, said it was a breakdown and said I should have her committed. I signed the papers and that's where she is. I went up to see her. She didn't even know me. I'm her sister and she didn't even know me. So you just tell Ms. Shipley how she did. Good. You just tell her what she did to my sister. Tell her how the baby's dead and she's finally got what she wanted. Because now Harriet hasn't got the baby. Nobody's got him. Nobody's got him. Nobody.

[Joe Friday]

Come on. Frank.

[Frank Smith]

Yeah? Where to?

[Joe Friday]

Well, we better get back to town.

[Frank Smith]

Guess so.

[Joe Friday]

See, Miss Shipley. We got back to Los Angeles at 9:30pm we went directly to the hotel where Mrs. Shipley was staying. The desk clerk told us that she'd left word that she was not to be disturbed. He called the room and she asked that we come up. We took the elevator to the seventh Floor and we walked down the hall.

[Mrs. Shipley]

Good evening, Sergeant Friday. Officer Smith. Come in.

[Joe Friday]

Thank you.

[Frank Smith]

Thank you, ma'am.

[Mrs. Shipley]

Just having a drink. May I fix you one?

[Joe Friday]

No, thank you.

[Mrs. Shipley]

How about you, Mr. Smith?

[Frank Smith]

No, thank you.

[Mrs. Shipley]

You don't mind if I go ahead?

[Joe Friday]

No, ma'am, not at all.

[Mrs. Shipley]

Just sit down and I'll be right with you.

[Joe Friday]

Thank you.

[Mrs. Shipley]

This clerk said it was important.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am.

[Mrs. Shipley]

You found my daughter in law?

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am.

[Mrs. Shipley]

And the baby? Where is he? Is he still with her?

[Joe Friday]

No, ma'am, he's not.

[Mrs. Shipley]

Where is he?

[Joe Friday]

Your daughter in law is pretty sick, Ms. Shipley. Oh, yes, ma'am. She's in the state hospital up at Camarillo.

[Mrs. Shipley]

Camarillo?

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am.

[Mrs. Shipley]

That's a mental hospital, isn't it?

[Joe Friday]

That's right.

[Mrs. Shipley]

I'm sorry to hear about Harriet, but I knew she wasn't very stable.

[Frank Smith]

Why didn't you tell us your son was dead, Mrs. Shipley?

[Mrs. Shipley]

I didn't think it had any bearing on the thing. What difference does it make?

[Joe Friday]

You don't seem to be very interested in his wife.

[Mrs. Shipley]

I'm going to be honest with you, Sergeant. I'm not. Not in the least interested in what she does or where she is. I never did feel she was the right girl for my son. Never. When the baby was born, I tried to go along with it. I tried to be nice to her. And she wouldn't have it. She wouldn't even be friendly. She poisoned my son. Turned him against me. She's a terrible woman. Just terrible. Whatever's happened to her is just exactly what she's got coming. Naturally, I'm sorry it's the way it is, but there's nothing I can do. All I'm interested in right now is my grandchild. I want him. And if I have to go to court to get him, then I'll do it that way.

[Joe Friday]

That won't be necessary, ma'am.

[Mrs. Shipley]

Where is he? I'd like to go and get him now that Jerry's wife can't take care of him.

[Joe Friday]

He's dead, ma'am.

[Mrs. Shipley]

If this is some kind of a joke that you're making up to help my daughter in law keep him, it won't work.

[Joe Friday]

It's no joke. It's the truth. He died in a hospital in San Diego.

[Mrs. Shipley]

It's not right. It's not right that he's dead. She did this, Harriet. She did it to get even with me. I know she did.

[Joe Friday]

We're sorry, Ms. Shipley.

[Mrs. Shipley]

First my husband, then Jerry. Haven't got anybody. I'm all by myself. Isn't anybody in the world who cares? Nobody.

[Joe Friday]

Now. We're sorry, Ms. Shipley. I wish there was something we could do.

[Mrs. Shipley]

No, you're not. You're like the rest of them. It's Harriet. She is the one. Nobody else to consider in this mess. Just her.

[Joe Friday]

What about the baby?

[Narrator]

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

[Chesterfield Advertisement]

On Thursday, August 14, a meeting was held in the office of the Captain of Homicide, Los Angeles Police Department. In a moment, the results of that meeting.

[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.

[Chesterfield Advertisement]

At the meeting held in Captain Larman's office, it was decided that no criminal act had taken place and the case was officially marked closed. 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, Herb Bygren, Carolyn Jones, 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. The right length for 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 Rosalind Russell 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.