21st Precinct 54-08-04 (056) The Job

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: 21st Precinct 54-08-04 (056) "The Job"
Date: February 24, 2026
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio

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Overview

This episode transports listeners to the gritty heart of New York City policing in the 1950s through a dramatized presentation from the radio series "21st Precinct." "The Job" centers on the day-to-day moral and procedural complexities confronting Captain Frank Kennelly, his officers, and the broader community, following a major payroll heist and exposing the hidden struggles and temptations within a local business association. The episode masterfully interweaves personal drama with a police procedural, culminating in an exploration of trust, redemption, and justice within a tightly-knit urban neighborhood.

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Key Discussion Points & Plot Developments

1. Setting the Scene: Life in the 21st Precinct

• [01:05-02:00] The episode establishes the daily atmosphere, with police navigating both petty issues and serious crimes in a dense New York precinct.
  • Sergeant Waters fields a call, setting the tone for the “nerve center” of police action.
  • Captain Kennelly narrates the scale and responsibility of his command: "Most of the 173,000 people wedged into the 9/10 of a square mile between Fifth Avenue and the East River wouldn't know...the security of their homes, their persons and their property is the job of the men of the 21st Precinct." ([01:22])

2. Community Trouble: The Case of the Missing Association Funds

• [03:20-08:21] Local shop owner Joe Spriggio brings a difficult issue to Captain Kennelly: their merchant association's treasurer, Al Bryder, has come up $211 short.
  • Spriggio explains, "If a guy takes a job as the treasurer of an association, he's gotta have some responsibility. I mean, that's what all the other members think." ([04:40])
  • Kennelly advises, "Well, the police department isn't a collection agency." ([06:10])
  • Subtle tension is revealed when it’s learned Bryder, the treasurer, has a criminal past, casting further suspicion on him.

3. Station Life & Another Breaking Crime

• [08:22-09:18] Parallel to the merchant's dispute, police respond to a major construction payroll robbery: thieves have stolen over $26,000.
  • Lieutenant King notes the magnitude: "That's a good touch. Yes, sir. Actually, tax free." ([09:17])

4. Resolution of the Merchant Crisis

• [09:49-12:00] The following day, Spriggio returns, relieved: Al Bryder unexpectedly produces the missing money, mostly in small change.
  • Spriggio tells Kennelly, "He gave me the money. $211. Every cent he was short. So you could have knocked me over with a feather." ([11:22])
  • Kennelly wryly remarks, "Even if it almost took a truck to carry it home." referencing the awkwardness of the returned coins ([11:43]).

5. Growing Suspicion Around Al Bryder

• [13:00-19:00] Despite paying back the association, Bryder’s sudden “prosperity” raises red flags.
  • Kennelly and Detective King probe, noting his ability to settle multiple large debts just after a major robbery in the neighborhood.
  • They discover Bryder’s “box lunch” business gave him access to the robbed construction site.
  • Detective Goldman reveals, "From the description I get, he's been stopping down at that construction job where the robbery was every morning with six or seven orders....He could have been driving the car." ([19:35])

6. Connecting the Dots: Investigation & Witness Identification

• [22:24-24:42] Detectives interview Mrs. Mickleton, a payroll office witness, who identifies a picture of George Van Teller—Bryder’s brother-in-law and rumored accomplice—as one of the armed robbers.
  • Mrs. Mickleton exclaims, "That's him. That's the one who held a gun on me. I can see him standing there before me with the gun pointed right at me, scooping up the money." ([24:15-24:19])

7. Confrontation and Confession

• [25:00-29:00] Captain Kennelly, Lieutenant King, and detectives confront Al Bryder at his luncheonette.
  • Bryder tries to deflect, "I make it. I’ve got the luncheonette here and the box lunch route. I make it." ([26:45])
  • Pressed further, he claims, "I went into a crap game the other night...That's where I got the money." ([27:44])
  • When officers prepare for a search, Bryder capitulates: "Yeah, I guess you will. Okay, fellas, you got a ride? Where's the rest of the money? To my house. I'll take you to it. Shame. This thing had me in fine shape. I paid off everybody. I was just getting straightened out." ([28:15])

8. Reflection on Justice and Community

• [29:20-30:44] The episode ends with the iconic summary:
  • "And so it goes around the clock...Anyone can catch the brass ring, or the brass ring can catch anyone." ([30:32])
  • Show credits and acknowledgement of the police department’s support close the program.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On responsibility and trust:
  "If a guy takes a job as the treasurer of an association, he's gotta have some responsibility." – Joe Spriggio ([04:40])

• Insight on policing limits:
  "Well, the police department isn't a collection agency." – Captain Kennelly ([06:10])

• Foreshadowing and irony:
  "He gave me the money. $211. Every cent he was short. So you could have knocked me over with a feather." – Joe Spriggio ([11:22])

• On police skepticism:
  "I hope he uses more judgment in his business than in picking a treasurer for his organization." – Captain Kennelly ([08:10])

• Witness testimonial:
  "That's him. That's the one who held a gun on me. I can see him standing there before me with the gun pointed right at me, scooping up the money." – Mrs. Mickleton ([24:15-24:19])

• Cynical wisdom on fate:
  "Anyone can catch the brass ring, or the brass ring can catch anyone." – Narrator ([30:32])

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Timestamps to Key Segments

• Theft and community tension revealed: [03:20-08:21]
• Parallel investigation: Major payroll robbery: [08:22-09:18]
• Resolution of missing funds: [09:49-12:00]
• Police suspicion and the personal visit to the luncheonette: [13:00-19:00]
• Witness identification: [22:24-24:42]
• Arrest and confession: [25:00-29:00]
• Closing reflection and credits: [29:20-30:44]

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Tone & Style

The episode retains its hardboiled, documentary realism—direct, unsentimental, but with flashes of humor and pathos. Dialogue-driven scenes evoke the bustling, interconnected life of a mid-century NY neighborhood, with characters speaking plainly but evocatively about trust, reputation, and survival.

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Final Thoughts

This "21st Precinct" episode offers a compelling look at law enforcement’s intersecting roles as investigator, confidant, and moral referee in a complex, sometimes fraught urban setting. The drama presents not just the solving of a crime, but the ripple effects through a community grappling with loyalty, redemption, and the boundaries of justice. For fans of classic radio drama and police procedurals, it’s a vivid slice of mid-century urban Americana—and an enduring story about human nature under pressure.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

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[C]

Why Police precinct. Sergeant Waters, how many hold up men were there? Where? No, that's not in this precinct. But you give me the information, I'll see that the officers get there. Did they have guns? Yeah. You're in the muscle room at the 21st Precinct, the nerve center. A call is coming through. You will follow the action taken pursuant to that call from this minute until the final report is written in the 124 room at the 21st Precinct. All right, you just stay right where you are. The officers will be right there. Yeah, right away. 21st Precinct. With just lines on a map of the city of New York, Most of the 173,000 people wedged into the 9/10 of a square mile between Fifth Avenue and the east river wouldn't know if you asked them that they lived or worked in the 21st. Whether they know it or not, the security of their homes, their persons and their property is the job of the men of the 21st Precinct. The 21st, 160 patrolmen, 11 sergeants and four lieutenants, of whom I'm the boss. My name is Kelly, Frank Kelly. I'm captain in command of the 21st. I was working my date tour at 1255 plainclothesmen who are responsible for the enforcement of laws relating to gambling and public morals in the 21st and other precincts of the 6th Division raided a policy drop on upper Madison Avenue and made seven arrests. The suspects were brought to the station house and at 10 minutes to 2 they were being booked by Lieutenant Gorman, the desk officer. I was in my office across the muster room. Reading and signing reports which would be delivered by the precinct messenger to division. Sergeant Waters on PS Duty was sitting at the switchboard. Excuse me, sergeant. Oh, hello, Mr. Spiggio. What can I do for you? Is the captain around? Could I talk to him? He's in his office. Yeah, but he's kind of busy. Is there something I can help you with? Well, I'd like to talk to him, Sergeant. Well, let me ring a nap. Okay, we'll see. How are things over your way? All right, I guess. Good. 21st Precinct. Captain Kennelly, Sergeant Waters on P.S. captain, Mr. Joe Spriggio has the upholstery shop there on Second Avenue's out here. He'd like to see if you've got a few minutes. All right. Ask him to come in, Sergeant. Yes, sir. Okay, Mr. Spizio. Right across there. Thanks. Kind of rust around here today, huh? Yeah, we are the plane closed and arrayed at a policy drum. Oh, over there. Yeah, that's right. All right, now the next one up here. All right. Harold Organell, age 24. Oh, come in, Mr. Bridgeo. Thank you. Well, I'm glad to see you. Want to sit down? Oh, yeah, thanks. Now, what can I do for you? Well, it's sort of a ticklish situation, Captain. I by Parent magazine. A perfection air. What's it all about? Well, you know, the few little storekeepers over there on my block. All small businesses. The merchants, a couple of garage men, you know. Yeah. Well, we got this little association. It's nothing much. It's just for the neighborhood. You know, we give our Christmas party. And if some of the families need helping out, it's a thing that if somebody comes and asks us for a charity, we figure it's best to send them to the association rather than each individual merchant. Take care of themselves. Know what I mean? Yeah, sure. I mean, it's no big deal or anything like that, Captain. It's just something that we cooked up to take care of any emergency. And I have a little organization. I mean, we don't even have no meetings hardly. It's just 10 or 12 of us small storekeepers over there. Well, what about it? Well, you know Al Bryder, don't you? Yeah. He has that luncheonette there on your block. Yeah, that's right. Well, he's the member. As a matter of fact, he's our treasurer. And? Well, Al is a nice guy, Captain, and I don't like to go make him any trouble. He works hard. He runs that luncheonette. He's there day and night. But after all, the DOE belonged to the association. Well, what happened? I hate to get anybody in trouble, Captain, but if he's gonna be the treasurer, he's got to have some responsibility. Now, he's short over $200 and he can't come up with it. Now, I wouldn't come to you, Captain, except that. Well, if a guy takes a job as the treasurer of an association, he's gotta have some responsibility. I mean, that's what all the other members think. Well, what did he say when you asked him for it? Well, he admits he's short. He says he'll try to get it. He said he used the money to keep the luncheonette going. Now, he works hard. He runs that luncheonette, he said day and night with his wife and everything like that. I mean, that daughter wasn't his dole, Captain. That's what I think. That's what all the other members think. Well, you want to file a complaint against him, Joe? We just want our $200, Captain. Well, the police department isn't a collection agency. Yeah, I know. I know it isn't. We don't want to file no charges against him, but. Well, we can't let him get away with something like that. Well, there's just two things you can do, Joe. You can see a lawyer and try to collect it from him in a civil suit. Oh, no, no. Or you can make a complaint and the detectives have. The district attorney will look into it from the point of view of a criminal case. Look, if we get a lawyer, it's going to cost us a fee, Captain. And if he's got nothing, we're out to $211 plus the lawyer's fee. Isn't there any way we could just. Well, you know, maybe sort of throw a scare into him? Not through the police department. Well, thanks, Captain. I'll walk out with him. I appreciate your help. If I've been any help. Only wish I knew what to do. Go ahead, help me know if you can think of, huh, Captain? No, it'd be a shame for us to be out that $211. All right. We're not big businessmen, you know. It's just a little association. It's not like the United States Chamber of Commerce. Hello, Captain. Matt. What have you got over there? The plane corpsman raided a policy drop up on Madison Avenue. No. Lieutenant Matt King, Mr. Joe Spriggio. Hello. Mr. Spriggeo. Runs the upholstery shop over there on Second Avenue. Oh, I am. Lieutenant King is in command of the 21st Detective Squad. Oh, I'm glad to know you. Well, I won't take up any more of your time, Captain. I'm sorry I couldn't help you. That's all right. I guess this is a problem we have to work out ourselves. I think it is. Well, so long. Bye. Glad to meet you, lieutenant. Yeah. Lieutenant, Social Security. I hear that fellow does nice work, Captain. Yeah. My wife wants some foot covers, man. I think I'll send her in there. I hope he uses more judgment in his business than in picking a treasurer for his organization. Well, what's the trouble? The treasurer's short $200. Oh. And out of all the members, they picked the one guy who's done time for being a thief. Who's that? You know, Al Bryder that runs the lunch net over there. Oh, yeah. He doesn't know any short time, does he, Ms. Brighter? No, he got finished up last year, I think. Yes, Par. He wants to talk to you.

[D]

All right.

[C]

Take it in my office, man. Thanks, Captain. I'll take it in here. Parkinson. All right, we'll take this. Help yourself, man. Yes? 21st Squad. Lieutenant King. Yeah, Max. Yeah. Uh huh. What was this? What do they want from us? All right, who's upstairs? Okay, take Novak and Howard and ride on down there. Yeah. All right. What's a big one, Captain? Huh? What? A payroll on a construction job in the 9th Precinct. Three boys walked into the office shack and made the paymaster raise up. Got over 26,000. The borough office called and asked me how many men I could spare. I'm sending Novak, McInerney and Howard down to give him a hand. Only 6,000. That's a good touch. Yes, sir. Actually, tax free.

[B]

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[C]

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[C]

After the seven suspects arrested in the raid on the policy drop were booked by Lieutenant Gorman, a patrol wagon came to the station house and took them directly to gambler's court in the New York county criminal court building at 100 Center Street. Shortly afterwards, the alarm came through on the teletype concerning the payroll holdup in the 9th Precinct. It described two armed bandits who entered the construction company shack, held up the paymaster and two assistants, and escaped with $26,000 in cash. The description of the third man thought to be driving the car which waited on the street, was lacking. The payroll, which included more than $1,000 in fee silver, had been delivered by an armored truck only 30 minutes before the robbery. I signed the blotter to go off the job at 6pm at the subway. I bought the evening papers. The story of the robbery was played in big headlines. There had still been no break in the case by the time I came into work at 3:40 the next afternoon to begin my night tour. Lieutenant Gorman was desk officer and Sergeant Waters had PS duty. Hello, Captain. Sergeant, you've got a visitor. I told him to wait in your office. Go ahead and take the call. I'll sign the block. Yes, sir. 21st facing Sergeant Waters. Okay, 22. Well, who's the visitor, Sergeant? Oh, it's Joe Spidgio again. Yeah, he called the first thing this morning. They told him we weren't due in here until about a quarter of four. He asked if he can see you. Then they told him be okay if he wanted to take his chances, that you'd be able to. He's been here since about 3:30. I told him I have a seat in your office. Okay, I'll be in there. Yes, sir. What are facing Sergeant Waters? Oh, hello, Mr. Spito. Oh, captain. Yeah. I hate to bother you again, Captain. That's all right. What's on your mind? Well, excuse me. Sure. 21st Precinct. Captain Kennelly. Target waters out to. Yes, Captain. The paychecks are here. All right. Send him into the 124 room. Yes, sir. Well, what'd you decide to do about Al brighter, Mr. Splitgio? Well, that's what I want us to talk to you about. Nothing. Nothing. You were pretty steamed up at him yesterday. Yeah, I know, but he came into my store last night. He said he wanted to see me. He said to come into his luncheonette after I closed up. So I went in there. You know what? He gave me the money? $211. $211? Every cent he was short. So you could have knocked me over with a feather. So I guess we'll just kind of forget about it, huh? Well, it's up to you. But we're making him resign as treasure. That. That's the least we can do. Here he was all the time complaining to us about how he spent the money in his business and he didn't have a nickel and all that. And he comes up with $211 all of a sudden. Well, I guess it's a good thing you didn't make a complaint yesterday. Yeah, I guess it is, Captain. But, Captain, it don't do a guy any good that's got a little business if he gets a reputation like that. You know what I mean? I mean, I thought I'd ought to come over and just get it straightened out with you. Well, I'm glad you got your money. And so are we. Even if it almost took a truck to carry it home. What do you mean? Well, out of the $211, nearly $60 is in small change. Oh, was it? Yeah. I said, what are you doing, Al? What's the idea? He said it was just change. He took you over to counter change. He'd been saving up. Oh. Telling you, it'll take a long time to get $60 and change in that luncheon. That. But I don't know. Don't make any difference as long as we got the money. A real load off my mind, I'm telling you. I want to thank you again, Captain. Oh, that's all right. Just want to make sure you didn't get any wrong ideas about Al. A little slow, maybe, but you paid up. I understand. Well, I'll see you around, huh? Yes, I'll see you, Mr. 23. Sergeant Waters, would you ring upstairs to the detectives? Yes, sir. 21st Squad. Detective Goldman. This is Captain Kelly. Goldman. Is Lieutenant King around there? Yes, sir. He's here. Hold on a second. Lieutenant King, Captain Kennelli on two. He's coming, Captain. All right. 25 Squad. Lieutenant King. Captain Kennelly. Matt. Yes, sir. Did they get a break in that payroll robbery down in the 9th Precinct yet? The one yesterday morning? They must not have, Captain. They've still got Novak and McEnarty down there working on it. Why, if you've got a minute, Matt, I'll come upstairs and tell you why. You are listening. To 21st Precinct. A factual account of the way police work in the world's largest city. Lt. King, about Al Brighter, the owner of a Second Avenue luncheonette who had once been convicted of armed robbery. We agreed that the fact that he had suddenly paid off a rather large debt, a great part of it in small change, was suspicious, but by no means conclusive. There was sufficient reason, however, to check him out. Lt. King immediately assigned Detective Goldman to make a quiet inquiry into his recent activities. The Bureau of Criminal Identification was telephoned and requested to send a photograph of Brider made at the time of his previous arrest, to lose Lt. King. Inasmuch as I had, on occasion, stopped into the luncheonette. Since it was opened by Al Brighter, I decided to do it again. So after I turned out the platoon at 4 and completed some paperwork, I went on patrol of the precinct. During the course of that patrol, I instructed my operator, Patrolman Farrell, to drive down second avenue and stop up the block from Al Brighter's luncheonette. I got out of the car and walked back past several small stores until I reached Al's place. Through the window, I could see there wasn't a customer in the store, just Al standing behind the small counter. Captain. Hello, Al. Well, sit down. Make yourself at home. Oh, thanks. It's been a long time since I've seen you around here, captain. Yeah, well, I was down the block. I thought I'd drop in, see how you're doing. What do you have? Want to see a menu? No, no, I'll just make it a cup of coffee. Oh, yeah, sure. So, what's new with the police department? Oh, what's new around here? You know, same old stuff. How's business? Been any better? Yeah. Can't you notice the improvements? All the customers. Ah, it's too bad. I thought this was a pretty good spot for a luncheonette. I thought you'd do swell here when you open it. Should be a good spot. Maybe it still will be if I can stick it out long enough. Things are that rough? Well, since this joint isn't paying its way, I got this little sideline that helps out, though. Oh, what's that? Well, I pack box lunches, take them around, sell them to guys on jobs. You know, get out early in the morning selling the box lunch. Uhhuh. What kind of guys? You know, construction jobs, factories, places. Light, sir, we don't. Sounds like a good idea. It wasn't for that deal, I'd really be behind the eight ball. Every nickel I make off the box lunches I pour into here. Too bad. Want some more cream? No, no, this'll do. Things are looking up a little bit, captain. Yeah, I hope so. At least I'm busy. At least between the box lunches and the luncheonette, working day and night, I keep out of trouble. Well, thank goodness for that. Well, them days are over, captain. You got you get some sense. I'm glad to hear it. When I was a kid, I was in one gem after another. A big, bold kid. That was me. Then they hit me between the eyes of that Sing Sing deal. I'm through with that kind of stuff don't pay. Well, that's good to hear. You know, somebody told Me? A couple of weeks ago, you were having a hard time meeting your bills. I said you might have to close the place up. Who was that? I don't remember. Somebody around here? No, there's nothing to that. I don't think so. Well, I'm glad. I like to see somebody make a success out of a business. Well, it's not exactly a success as yet, but it will be. I get a pretty big crowd for lunch. I give them a good sandwich here. You can't beat it any place in the neighborhood. How about a hamburger? I'll show you. No, no. No, thanks. I had a late lunch. Well, stop around sometime, Captain, when you're hungry. What do you do with those box lunches? Just sell them to places around here? Yeah, I sell them all around. Well, how far do you go? Well, I don't mess around much on the west side. I've got a few steady customers downtown, got a few uptown, most of them around here. Factories mostly, huh? Yeah, factories and like I said, construction jobs. These construction workers are making so much money these days, they're getting too high class to carry their lunch from home on the subway. Decently stepping. I can imagine. But I've got plans, Captain. I figured on getting some more help in here. Maybe a cook and a waitress and I can put in a little more time developing the box lunch business. If I can expand that a little bit and keep the luncheonette going, I'll be doing all right. All that takes money. I'll manage, Captain. I talk to Al Brighter until I finish my coffee. When I left, I got into the car and I instructed Patrolman Farrell to return to the station house. Lt. King and his detectives had already begun the investigation that might link Al Bryner to the payroll robbery. I told him about my conversation. I went off the job at 6 and when I returned at 3:30 the following day for my night tour, there was a message that Lt. King wanted to see me. I went upstairs to the 21st Squad. I saw Lt. King sitting in his office with Detective Goldman. I walked over mad. Come in. Captain Goldman came up with a few things. Could you shut the door? Yeah, sure. Hello, Captain Goldman. Go ahead, Dan. Well, there's a couple of interesting things. Most interesting. Al seems to have gotten his hands on a good deal of cash in the last couple of days. In addition to the $211. Yes, sir. He owed a pretty big meat bill to a butcher around the corner from him there. The meat for the luncheonette. He sure got prosperous suddenly when I was in there he told me that things were pretty rough, but he did say that he had prospects, that they'd get better. The prospects seem to have come about pretty fast, Captain. Well, Captain, that's not the best of it. Tell the captain about the other Goldman. This is a clincher to me, Captain. That box lunchtime business he has. Yeah? Well, from the description I get, he's been stopping down at that construction job where the robbery was every morning with six or seven orders. Now, he's got one customer in the office there, one of the assistant payroll clerks. Oh, he's had plenty of opportunity to look it over and know exactly what goes on in there. But he doesn't answer the physical description of any of the bandits. No, but he could have been driving the car. Yeah, he could have, Captain. I'd say he did. Yeah, I guess you're right. Good work, Goldman. Thanks. You too, Captain. Well, what are you gonna do about it? You gonna pick him up? I'll have to call down to the commander of the ninth Squad staircase. Yeah. Oh, do you have any idea who he's been running with, Dan? Well, that's pretty hard to say, Captain. I haven't had much time to check, but I found out his wife's brother has a record as long as your army. Who's that? Fellow named George Van Peller. One of the neighbors where Al lived told me about the brother in law. He said Al and his brother in law are always together. I called down to BCI and they checked out the name. Guy got five or six arrests and two convictions for armed robbery. Goes all the way back to when he was a kid. 17. Oh, from the way it looks right up to the day. Lt. King, after seeing that Al Brighter was put under surveillance, went Downtown to the 9th Squad to inform the detective commander, who had jurisdiction over the case, of the information that had been obtained. Detectives of the 9th Squad joined those of the 21st in the plant on both the Luncheonette and Al Brighter's house. Pictures of Al Brighter and his brother in law, George Van Teller, were obtained from the Bureau of Criminal Identification. And later that evening, Detective Goldman and Detective Michael Donahue of the 9th drove out to a small residence in Regal Park, Queens, where one of the payroll clerks, a Mrs. Mickleton, resided. Coming?

[D]

Yes?

[C]

What is it, Mrs. Mickleton?

[D]

Who is it?

[C]

We're police officers, Detective Goldman and Detective Donahue.

[D]

Oh, all right. Detectives who?

[C]

I'm Detective Goldman of the 21st Squad to Mrs. Detective Donahue of the 9th Squad.

[D]

Come in.

[C]

Thank you. I do.

[D]

I've been trying to fry some potatoes in there for an hour. First my daughter gets me on the phone, and then the next old woman comes in.

[C]

I'll never get those potatoes fried. I'm sorry.

[D]

That's all right. It's no reflection on you. Just that I work all day and have to come home and try to fix supper, too.

[C]

Gets to be a terrible rush. Well, I hope we don't have to keep you too long, Mrs. McElroy.

[D]

Oh, my potatoes. Come in the kitchen, please. My husband likes them just so. Not too done and not too undone. You know how men are, don't you?

[C]

Yes, we know how they are.

[D]

You see? Just let me take them off the fire. Now, now, what can I do for you? Must be something about the robbery. If it wasn't something about the robbery,

[C]

you wouldn't be here. Yes, something about the robbery.

[D]

You caught those men.

[C]

I bet you caught them. No, not yet, Mrs. Mickleton.

[D]

Oh, that's a shame. Then what is it?

[C]

Well, you said you'd recognize them if you saw them again.

[D]

Oh, yes, I'd recognize them. Two, that is, I recognize the third one also. Except he was sitting in the car and I didn't see him. I'd recognize anybody. I've got a very good memory. A very good memory.

[C]

Detective Donahue.

[D]

Detective Donahue.

[C]

I've got a couple of pictures here, Mrs. Mickleton.

[D]

Pictures?

[C]

Yes, photographs. Now, would you look through them and see if you can recognize any of these? See if any of them look too familiar. Well, I'll try. That's all I can do is try.

[D]

That's him. That's the one who held a gun on me.

[C]

This one.

[D]

That's him. I can see him standing there before me with the gun pointed right at me, scooping up the money. He just scooped it up. Do you know about the others? Have you got the pictures on them, too?

[C]

No, no, not yet.

[D]

Do you know where they are?

[C]

No, but we'll find them. And thank you very much. Mrs. Nickleton.

[D]

Would you like to stay to dinner? We're having more than five potatoes. I've got a roast in the oven.

[C]

Well, thanks for the invitation, but we've got a lot of work to do. Oh, yes.

[D]

You've got to go out and arrest this fella and fingerprint him and question him and.

[C]

And all that. No, not yet. First we've got to find him. When these officers returned with the information that one of the victims had identified the brother in law of Al Brighter as one of the bandits, Lieutenant King and the commander of the 9th Squad prepared to make the arrest. Because it had been my suggestion that led to the correct information I was asked if I wished to participate in the arrest. I agreed to. And at 10:35 that night, we. We drove over to the Luncheonette on Second Avenue. When we walked up to the door, there were two customers sitting at the counter. Al was behind the counter. Lt. King and I entered with Detectives Goldman and Donahue right behind us. Hello, captain. Have a seat, al. This is Lieutenant King, commander of 21st Detective Squad. Hi. Hello, Al. I see you've got a few customers. Yeah. I told you business was picking up. Can we talk to him? Yeah, sure. What's on your mind? How about going in the kitchen? Yeah, sure, if you want. What's the trouble? There's nobody out there, is there? No, there's nobody there. I didn't get that chef I was telling you about. I didn't hire him yet. Okay, let's go in. Sure. This way. If you fellas want anything, just holler. I'll be in the kitchen. In there? Yeah. Well, what can I do for you gentlemen? You've been passing out a lot of money lately, Al. What do you mean? You've been paying up a lot of old debts. You've been straightening up on bills. Well, I've got to. I wouldn't be able to stay in business. Where'd you get the money? I make it. I've got the luncheonette here and the box lunch route. I make it. Don't make that much A. And pay up all those bills so suddenly. Well, what bills? I don't know what you're talking about. You know, Al, let's not waste any time. I don't know what you're talking about. You got all that money. Well, to tell you the truth. That's what we want, the truth. I went into a crap game the other night. What crap game? It's a crap game with the boys. Just the boy. Is George Van Teller one of those boys? Well, yeah. Yeah, he's one of them. He was in the game. Where is he now? I don't know. I haven't seen him in a couple of days. I think he went down to Philly. That's where I think he went down to Philly so he could get out of town until the heat blows over from that construction payroll job. Isn't that right, Al? I don't know what you're talking about. You know, Al. Wanna tell us about it? I don't know. I don't know what you're driving at. You fingered the job and drove the car. That's where you got the money. Isn't that right? No, it's not right. You got no right to come up here and accuse me of anything like that. That's where you got the money, isn't it? I won it in a crap game. I told you that. Where's the rest of the money? You must have got three or four thousand or maybe five out of it. You guys are talking crazy. Al, I'm bringing four or five of my men down here. We're going over this place from top to bottom. Then we're going out and go over your house. We'll find it. Yeah, I guess you will. Okay, fellas, you got a ride? Where's the rest of the money? To my house. I'll take you to it. Shame. This thing had me in fine shape. I paid off everybody. I was just getting straightened out. Straightened out? Beautiful. Well, Al, you come on with us. We'll straighten out some more. 21st facing Sergeant Waters. Yes, E.B. no, the call was for a car to go to 71st and 1st to meet the officer and bring in a prisoner. He counted a boy carrying a loaded revolver. Yeah, that's right. 681 will be okay. And so it goes around the clock through the week. Every day, every year. A police precinct in the city of New York. Is a flesh and blood merry go round. Anyone can catch the brass ring, or the brass ring can catch anyone. 21st Precinct. A factual account of the way police work in the world's largest city. Is presented with the official cooperation of the Patrolman's Benevolent Association. An organization of more than 20,000 members of the Police Department, City of New York. Everett Sloane in the role of Captain Kennelly. Ken lynch as Lieutenant King. Featured in tonight's cast were Gladys Thornton, Harold Stone, Mandel Kramer, Wendell Holmes, Bill Smith and Don McLaughlin. Written and directed by Stanley Nist. Produced for CBS Radio by John Ives. Art Hannah Speakins.