21st Precinct 54-09-22 (063) The Suit

Summary

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21st Precinct: "The Suit"

Original Air Date: September 22, 1954
Podcast Episode Release: February 25, 2026
Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio

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Episode Overview

This gripping police procedural episode from the "21st Precinct" series follows the aftermath of a late-night barroom shooting in New York City. When an unknown man is shot dead, detectives and officers from the 21st Precinct methodically investigate the crime. What appears to be a random act of violence slowly unravels into a tale of jealousy, betrayal, and a fateful decision over a suit of clothes. The episode immerses listeners in the police work of the era, presenting authentic dialogue, character-driven investigation, and the granular detail of a murder case from call to capture.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Crime Scene - The Bronx Grill Bar (00:06–07:01)

• Initial Call: The episode opens with a call to the 21st Precinct reporting a shooting at the Bronx Grill (00:06).
• First Responders: Patrolman Cronin arrives and interviews witnesses, including Anna Vori (B) and bartender Jerry. The victim, known only as "Mac," is found shot in a booth.
• Witness Statements:
  • Anna Vori: Claims she just met "Mac" that night. “I never saw him before tonight...I was in that bar over in Second Avenue.” (04:15–05:06)
  • Bartender Jerry: Describes the shooter as “Phil,” who greets Mac, accuses him, and shoots him point-blank.
• Critical Scene Description: “He [Phil] came in the front door...walked there to the booth where these people were sitting...He says, ‘Hello, Mac.’ And Mac says, ‘Hello, Phil.’ And then he says, ‘I don’t like what you’ve been doing, Mac.’...he just pulled out a gun and he shot him.” (05:06–05:29, Anna)

2. Establishing Identity and Motive (07:01–10:18)

• Victim Identification: The dead man is identified via his wallet as Frank McLeese, though he was known as “Mac” to patrons (07:44–08:20).
• Motive Unclear at Scene: No clear provocation is reported; the shooter’s terse exchange with the victim “wasn’t much of a fight...Frank was sitting in this bar...” (18:33–18:39)
• Anna’s Frustration: Anna wants to leave but is held for further questioning: “Look, Captain, could you tell him to let me go home?...I got to get to work at 8 o’clock in the morning?” (10:01–10:12, Anna)

3. Following the Threads – Detectives on the Trail (10:22–17:16)

• Detectives Visit Victim’s Apartment: At 821 East 80th Street, the detectives find little of use. The superintendent recalls Frank was a former dry cleaning employee.
• Connecting to Suspect: Focus shifts to the suspect, “Phil,” with little more than a first name and a physical description.
• Domestic Disturbance Lead: Police follow a disturbance at 590 East 77th Street – the home of Phil Capella and his wife, Mrs. Capella (13:25–17:16).
• Mrs. Capella’s Reluctance and Revelation:
  • She’s agitated: “Would you open the door for your husband? If he was out there in the hall drunk...and he says he has a gun and he’s gonna kill you?” (13:47–13:59)
  • She identifies Phil Capella as her husband and acknowledges his jealousy over Mac (Frank McLeese): “Phil accuses me of going with him...Calls me every name in the book.” (18:07–18:26)

4. The Unraveling Motive – Jealousy and The Suit (17:16–20:05)

• Jealousy Revealed: It’s disclosed Frank and Mrs. Capella had a close relationship, fueling Phil’s suspicions and rage.
• Root of the Attack: The “suit” of the episode’s title becomes symbolic—Phil is enraged after his wife gave away his best suit to Frank, intensifying his jealousy and prompting the murder.
• Mrs. Capella’s Shock: When told of Frank’s death, Mrs. Capella is distraught—her dread that Phil would become violent comes to pass: “I just had a feeling that he was gonna do something like this. He had trouble on his mind.” (19:52–20:05)

5. Manhunt and Resolution (20:05–28:00)

• Suspect Sighting and Chase: Patrolman Mercado spots Phil loitering and is shot at. The suspect escapes to a rubble-strewn lot, and a tense police chase ensues (22:00–24:00).
• Standoff and Surrender:
  • Officers surround the ruins and attempt to talk Phil out: “Bill, what do you say? You had a good night? Want to call it quits?” (25:02, Officer)
  • Phil eventually surrenders, motivated less by remorse than exhaustion and futility.
• Phil’s Confession: When confronted, Phil expresses bitterness over the suit:
  • “You know what she did? She gave my best suit of clothes. My very best suit of clothes. That rubbed me the wrong way.” (25:40–25:55, Phil Capella)
  • Officer dryly retorts: “I wondered what it was, Phil. I knew it must have been something serious.” (25:56, Sergeant Waters)

6. Closing Reflection (End)

• The episode ends with Captain Kennelly’s narration, describing the ongoing, relentless work of the precinct and the unpredictability of city crime.
  • “The 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.” (27:40, Captain Kennelly)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Fear and Violence:
  • “Would you open the door for your husband? If he was out there in the hall drunk...and he says he has a gun and he’s gonna kill you? Well, would you open the door for him?”
    — Mrs. Capella (13:47)
• On Motivation:
  • “What do you think it gets you to kill somebody over a woman?”
    — Sergeant Waters (25:57)
  • “I don’t care about her...She gave my best suit of clothes. My very best suit of clothes. That rubbed me the wrong way.”
    — Phil Capella (25:40–25:55)
• On the Nature of Police Work:
  • “And so it goes around the clock through the week, every day, every year. The police precinct in the City of New York is a flesh and blood merry go round.”
    — Captain Kennelly (27:40)

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Key Timestamps

• [00:06] – Opening, call reporting a shooting
• [05:06] – Description of the killing
• [07:44] – Victim identified as Frank McLeese
• [13:25] – Detectives at Phil Capella’s apartment
• [18:33] – Jealousy motive is revealed
• [22:00] – Manhunt begins after shots at officer
• [25:22] – Phil surrenders; discussion of motive
• [27:40] – Closing reflection on police work

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Tone & Style

The episode delivers classic mid-century radio drama with a procedural, matter-of-fact tone. The dialogue is terse, authentic, and peppered with era-specific attitudes toward crime, gender, and urban life. Characters speak directly and practically, with emotional outbursts emerging under stress.

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Summary

"The Suit" presents an archetypal police drama: a crime of passion with roots in jealousy, pride, and misunderstanding. Through methodical investigation, rapid-fire dialogue, and a climactic manhunt, the officers of the 21st Precinct demonstrate the gritty reality of law enforcement in the big city. The eventual confession—rooted not in romantic rivalry but a perceived insult over a suit—offers a memorable twist, highlighting the pettiness and unpredictability of murder motives. The episode stands out for its realistic depiction of investigative procedure and the human motivations behind crime.

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Transcript

[A]

21st place in shocking waters. Shooting where? Yeah, who is it that shot? Oh, you don't, huh? Where's the man with the gun? Where? You are in the muster room at the 21st Precinct, the nerve center. A call is coming through. You will follow the action taken pursuant to that call from this minute until the final report is written in the 124 room at the 21st Precinct. All right. I'll send the officers right over there. Don't worry about that. I'll send the ambulance too. You just wait outside and show them where it is, okay? Yeah, you're welcome. 21st Precinct. It's just lines on a map of the city of New York. Most of the 173,000 people wedged into the 9/10 of a square mile between Fifth Avenue and 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 prisons and their property is the job of the men of the 21st Precinct. The 21st. 150 patrolmen, 11 sergeants and four lieutenants, of whom I'm the boss. My name is Kennelly. Frank Kenelly. I'm captain in Command of the 21st. I was working my night tour at 12:15am on post number nine which covers three square blocks between first and York Avenues. Patrolman James Joseph Cronin rang into the station house as soon as he reached his post. Then, as is required, he began on First Avenue the job of trying the front door of every business establishment. Officer. Hey, policeman. Yeah, what is it? You better go down to the Bronx Grill there. Lots of trouble. Some guy got shot. Who? I don't know. Some guy who shot him? Some other guy. I don't know. Were you in there? Yeah, I was in there. Didn't say no attention, though, until I heard you shot. Bang. Like to have jumped through the ceiling there. When did it happen? Just now? Yeah, just now. A minute ago. Meds. Where'd the man go to do the shooting? I don't know. He ran out the door. You see which way he went? Look, he was the guy with the gun. I wasn't too curious about chasing in there. Right here, okay? There. Right back there in the booth. I was sitting at the bar there. They were talking to Jerry. That's him, the bartender. Who's a Jerry? What? Oh, hello, Mr. Corner. There's some mess, huh? Some thing I got here. Who is he? I don't know. I've seen him around. I call him Mac. Everybody calls Him, Mac. I don't know his full name. He was with him. What's his name?

[B]

I don't know. Walter. Mac.

[A]

You were out with him tonight. Don't you know his name?

[B]

I met him in a bar over in Second Avenue, Mac. That's all I know.

[A]

I don't even know that. What do you think, Mr. Cohen? You think he's had it? They don't look like any spark of life in him to me. I'll get an ambulance over here. I called Mr. Cronin. I called in the police department. I gotta call again. You do. They said they were sending the cops and anatomists over. Here it is. Patrolman Cronin, 21st briefing. The man shot, and it looks like homicide at 3646 First Avenue. In a bar and grill? Yeah, that's right. Okay. Oh, would you connect me with the 21st? I didn't call the precinct. Going to headquarters. Hello, Sergeant. Patrolman Cronin, Post number nine. There's a man shot and it looks like a homicide in the Bar Grill. 3646 First Avenue. Oh, yeah. Yes, okay. Yes, I told you. I told him.

[B]

Well, now what happens now?

[A]

What's your name?

[B]

Anna. Anna Vori.

[A]

Where do you live?

[B]

735 and 10 seconds.

[A]

Hey, Jerry. Can we turn at you, Pop Star? Oh, yeah, yeah, sure, Mr. Cronin. Right away. I'll do it. You never saw him before tonight?

[B]

No, I never saw him. I was in that bar over in Second Avenue.

[A]

Oh, what bar is that?

[B]

Oh, you know the name of it.

[A]

Who introduced you to him?

[B]

Nobody. He just got to talking, then he invited me to have a drink.

[A]

What's your name? Go ahead. What? Hans. You didn't see what happened? No, I was drinking beer at the bar with my back. Then I missed off. Mr. Cron. Thanks, Jerry. Was there anyone else in here when it happened? No, just him back here in the booth. And Joe was at the bar? Yeah, I was at the bar. I didn't see nothing. My back was turned. Isn't that right, Jerry? I was talking to you. Well, where'd this man with the gun come from? Well, he came in the front door, Mr. CR. You gotta look at him. Sure, I gotta look at him. I gotta look at him. When he came in, instead of coming at the bar, he headed back there to the booth. Did he order a drink? Didn't have any time to order any drinking. He didn't sit down. Just walked there to the booth where these people were sitting?

[B]

Yeah. And then he come up to where Mac and I were sitting. And he stopped right there and he says, hello, Mac. And Max says, hello, Phil. And then he says, I don't like the one that came in. The one Matt called Phil. He said, I don't like what you've been doing, Matt. The woods to that effect. And then he just pulled out a gun and he shot him. And I was sitting right there. I was sitting right across from him. He just pulled out a gun and he shot him. How you like that?

[A]

Ever seen a fellow hill before?

[B]

No, I never seen. Where would I see him?

[A]

You know him, Gary? Oh, I can't say other dudes. And you know, me, I'm. I'm pretty long on faces. How about you? Well, I told you my back was home. I was sitting at the bar there drinking a beer and talking to Jerry. Huh, Jerry, what do you think? Do you think he's dead?

[B]

Sure don't look like he's breathing on Sunday.

[A]

Oh, that Ronnie. Yes, Sergeant Cronin. What do we got? A shooting. Did the call come through? Ambulance responding, Sergeant.

[B]

Yeah, we don't need no ambulance.

[A]

Who's the herd? What do these people got to do with the cloning? They're witnesses. This is Vand, Sergeant. He was with him. Mr. Johan, who was sitting at the bar. And Jerry Garage. This is his place. All right, Jerry, you better get on behind the bar there. Yes, s behind the bar. And you better get over there with him. Who, me? Yeah, you. Okay. Right where I was sitting when it happened. Is that all right? Yeah, that's fine. And you sit down right here.

[B]

Do I have to stay so close to him?

[A]

Just sit down.

[B]

All right.

[A]

He only name any of these people know him by? His Max, Sergeant. He said she met him in a bar over on second Avenue tonight. I came over here for a drink. Another man came to the police, looked up the table. Mac addressed the other man as Phil. Phil pulled out a gun, shot him and walked out the door. Is there any provocation there?

[B]

What's that provocation?

[A]

Did he threaten him?

[B]

Oh, no, he didn't threaten.

[A]

Did they have words?

[B]

The only words Max said were, hello, Phil. It's not provocation, is it?

[A]

No, I don't guess it is. Within a few minutes, a ambulance from Metropolitan Hospital arrived and the victim of the shooting was pronounced dead by the ambulance surgeon. Within 20 minutes, a deputy medical examiner had arrived and completed a preliminary examination. Before the body was removed to the morgue, it was fingerprinted by detective from the Homicide squad and searched by Patrolman Cronin. The first member of the force on the scene. All personal property, with the exception of clothing was removed from the body to be taken to the station house and turned over to the desk officer. How about his back pocket, Colin? Yes, sir. Lieutenant. Oh, wait a minute. The Cali. Yes, sir. Lieutenant, help roll him over so he can look in his back pocket. Yes, sir. Okay. Thank you, sir. Com. Here's a wallet, Lieutenant. All right, open it up. Any money? $12 in bills, 2002 1. Any cards in there? Yes, sir. Here's a union card, Social Security card. That's the name. Lang mclease. M A C L I, S E. I use a selected service registration time under the name of Frank McLeod. How old are they? Card dated 1946. Lieutenant. He's 18 years old in 1946. What's the address on the card? 3722 Lexington Avenue. That address probably isn't good anymore, Lieutenant. 1946. Well, here's an operator's license, Lieutenant. Motor vehicle. Yes, sir. What's the address on that? 821 East 88 Street, Lieutenant. Anything else in there with. Yes, Captain. Over here. All right, Colum, go ahead and make your inventory. I'll look at the stuff. The station HS against Wilkes. Get an identification on him, man. Yes, Captain. According to the cards in his pocket, his name is Frank. The police M A C L I, S e. Resides at 821 East 80th Street. Or did until recently. It was a motor vehicle operator's license with that address in his pocket. Did you talk to the going yet, man? I'm going to right now. Well, this shouldn't be too hard for you. No, I don't think so. Who told you to pick up a strange man in a bar?

[B]

How did I know he was going to get shot?

[A]

The trouble all right. Nice as well. It's just to get to work at 8:00 in the morning.

[B]

Well, I do. And you know what time it is now? It's almost 2 o' clock and I won't get any sleep at all.

[A]

I don't think any of us will, Captain. Mrs. Voorhees, Captain Kelly, Commanding Officer of the 21st Brieflink.

[B]

How do you do?

[A]

Hello. Are you positive you're not acquainted with Mac's full name?

[B]

I told you, I only met him tonight. Or last night, that is.

[A]

The name's Frank McLeaf. Does that mean anything to you?

[B]

Why should it mean anything to me?

[A]

That was his full name.

[B]

Oh, was it?

[A]

It appears to be.

[B]

Well, it probably could be if they call him Max. Look, Captain, could you tell him to let me go home? Or don't you to realize how long I've been here? And I got to get to work. At 8 o' clock in the morning?

[A]

This case is in the hands of the detective, Miss.

[B]

If you're a captain, I hear you could do something about it.

[A]

Well, I'm afraid I can. Take her into the station house. Will you know that? Yes, sir.

[B]

Station house? What do I have to go in there for?

[A]

Let's talk to the bartender. Hello, Jerry. Oh, hi, Lieutenant. Captain. How are you? Oh, I'm all right. Jerry. Why does something like this always have to happen to me? Well, it didn't quite happen to you. I mean. I mean, in my place. Boy, I never should have unlocked the door today. Today was a big nothing from beginning to end. Didn't seem to open up. The man's name was Frank McLean. Jerry, does that mean anything to you? Frank McLean? Yeah, that's right. No, no, I can't say it does. I told him he didn't come in here very much. Maybe two or three times before I recognized him. I heard some of the people he was with call him Mac. You know, I didn't know whether that was his name or whether they just called him Mac like some people call Everybody Max. Frank McLean didn't mean a thing to me. What is this guy, nuts? To sum me out to come in and shoot up a place of business? What's the matter with him? What makes a guy like that sick, Captain? I don't know, Jerry. When we get him, we'll wind him up and find out. You are listening to 21st Precinct. A factual account of the way police work in the world's largest city. Those schoolrooms your children have just gone back to, are they overcrowded, understaffed and poorly equipped? The schoolhouse itself is it used. Thus, the homicide investigation was underway. Detectives McInerney and Howard were sent to the East 80th street address, found on a card in the murder victim's wallet. The building there was an old log tenement. On a mailbox they saw the name Frank McEF. The super of the building admitted the detective to the flat. There they found little that would aid them in the investigation. The super knew nothing about his tenants other than the fact that he lived alone and that he was once an employee of some dry cleaning establishment. Other detectives of the 21st Squad and of the homicide squad were busy trying to trace the killer about whom they knew one principal fact. His first name was Phil. At 3:25am sector car number two. And the sergeant's car answered a call to 590 East 77th Street. A resident of the building had complained of a disturbance in the hall. The disturbance was was over by the time the officers arrived. But after they Talked to a Mrs. Capella about whom the complaint was made, Sgt. Waters put in a call for the detective. Detectives Vitali and Novak arrived at 3:40am and walked up the steps to the second floor. What did he say? In the rear? Yeah, in the rear. I don't know if he is there. That door standing open? Yeah. Sergeant Waters? Yeah. Come in. Hi, Sergeant. Sergeant. Mr. Tiller, this is Detective Novak and Detective Vitali. How you doing? Hello, Mr. How do you do?

[B]

Look, I don't see what all this fuss is about with detectives. It was just an argument between me and my husband, that's all.

[A]

You said he had a gun, didn't he?

[B]

No, I didn't see it. I didn't even see him. I didn't even open the door for him. He's the one that said he had a gun. Maybe he's just trying to scare me, that's all.

[A]

He scared you enough so you wouldn't open a door to me.

[B]

What would you do? Would you open the door for your husband? If he was out there in the hall drunk and hollering and beating on the door and he says he has a gun and he's gonna kill you. Well, would you open the door for him?

[A]

Life.

[B]

You wouldn't. Neither did I.

[A]

No, you two certainly didn't make enough noise. You woke up the whole building.

[B]

Oh, let him be awake. Nobody in this building ever did anything from me anyway.

[A]

Listen, Mrs. Patellin, you said he might come back, didn't you?

[B]

Well, he lived here. Sure he's going to come back.

[A]

Supposing he does have a gun. Now, what we ought to do is have these detectives find him before he does come back and see whether he's got a gun or not. Don't you think that'd be a good idea?

[B]

I guess it would.

[A]

You tell him you had a picture of him. Why don't you go get it so we can show it to the detective? It'll give him an idea of what he looks like.

[B]

Well, he'll just wait here. He's bound to come back. I don't see where he's got to go. He's got no place else to go.

[A]

Why don't you get the picture?

[B]

Oh, all right, if you want it.

[A]

Yeah, we'd like to see it.

[B]

I'll see if I can find It. It's in here someplace. In the bedroom.

[A]

What's it all about, Sergeant? I. I just wanted to get out of here a minute. Yeah? One of the neighbors said he did have a gun. Neighbor thought. And you know what the husband's name is? What? Phil. Oh, Phil Capella. Was he? Yep. And he fits the description of that guy, all right. You ask her anything about that too? No, I didn't mention it. I thought I'd wait until you fell. Nice. Thanks a lot. Oh, listen, though, did you see my car down the street? I told Osman to put it around the corner in case her husband didn't walk back here. It's around the corner. You didn't ask anything about the shooting? No. I figured she might know where her husband went. She doesn't know about the suit. Maybe she'll tell you.

[B]

Well, I found it.

[A]

Right.

[B]

I'm just. Only one of them snapshots. I made it myself out in the park last summer. Maybe it was the summer before. I don't know. Well, look there. You see? There's trees in the background. I made it in Central Park.

[A]

About park. How tall is your husband?

[B]

He's about 5, 9 or 10, I guess.

[A]

Have you still got that mustache?

[B]

Oh, he still got it. He was a prize. The way he takes care of it. I wish he'd shave it off.

[A]

When's his first night, Mrs. Capella?

[B]

Bill.

[A]

How old is he?

[B]

26. He was 26. Last room.

[A]

Do you know where he got that gun?

[B]

Well, listen, I don't know for sure that he had a gun. He only said he did. I didn't open the door to find out.

[A]

There wasn't any reason for him to lie, was there?

[B]

He could lie without a reason before

[A]

he came up here with a gun. What time did you see him last?

[B]

Well, about 6:30 last night. He came home from work and I gave him some dinner and he went right out of the house. Pretty mad about something. I don't know what it was. He just went right out of the house.

[A]

That gun he was supposed to have, did he keep a gun in the house?

[B]

Well, I never saw it. If he had a gun, he must have got it someplace tonight while he was out.

[A]

Where were you when he came home?

[B]

It was 2:30 in the morning. I was in bed asleep.

[A]

And he woke you up?

[B]

He woke me up. The way he patted on that door to look up the whole building. That's why the cops came.

[A]

Didn't he have a key?

[B]

A key wouldn't have done him no good. I bolted it from the inside. But any man. Man that walks out after supper and doesn't come home anymore till 2:30 in the morning deserves to get bolted out.

[A]

Why didn't you let him in?

[B]

I didn't want to get shot, that's why.

[A]

You haven't any idea where he might have gone?

[B]

No. If you wait long enough, he'll be back here.

[A]

Ms. Caello, do you happen to know a woman named Anne Vorge?

[B]

Ann Vor?

[A]

That's right.

[B]

No, I don't know anybody by that name.

[A]

You happen to know a man named Frank McLeaf?

[B]

Sure.

[A]

No.

[B]

Frank McLe. What's Frank got to do with this?

[A]

How well do you know him?

[B]

Oh, I know him pretty well. He's a good friend of mine. I don't understand what you've got to do with this thing.

[A]

Does Frank lives at 821 E. Stadium

[B]

St. Yeah, that's where he live.

[A]

Does your husband know Frank?

[B]

Yeah, he knows him.

[A]

How well does he know him? Oh, as well as you do?

[B]

No, not as well as I do.

[A]

You know Frank McLeese better than your husband does?

[B]

Yes, I say I do. Look, I don't want you to drag Frank into anything here. I've had enough trouble with Phil over Frank. Now, enough trouble. I just don't want any more.

[A]

Now, what kind of trouble did you have with your husband over Frank?

[B]

Well, Phil accuses me of going with him. He says I run around with him all the time, and he's at work. He just stands there and accuses me of it. Madder, madder. Hollers all over the place. So I run around with him. Calls me every name in the book.

[A]

Well, you don't have to put up with that, do you?

[B]

Well, to tell you the truth, there's not much I can do. Just plain fact.

[A]

Oh, I see.

[B]

What's Frank got to do with it? Have you told me that yet?

[A]

Frank got himself shot tonight. Yeah, that's fine.

[B]

How'd he get himself shot? Was he hurt bad? Well, how bad is he hurt?

[A]

He's dead.

[B]

Oh, my goodness. My goodness.

[A]

I'm sorry, Mrs. Patella.

[B]

Oh, my goodness.

[A]

You fellas don't need me here anymore, do they? No, no, Sergeant. Thanks a lot.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

I better get back on the job.

[B]

Oh, I'll see you, Boris. My goodness.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That's awful. It's horrible.

[A]

Sure is.

[B]

Who shot him? Hey, don't tell me. It was Phil.

[A]

Phil had a gun and Frank was shot. Bad him up.

[B]

What did they do? Did they have a fight or.

[A]

It wasn't much of A fight. Frank was sitting in his bar on First Avenue with this person. I asked about this Anna Bore.

[B]

He was. What was he doing with her?

[A]

We just met her a couple of hours earlier.

[B]

Oh.

[A]

Phil walked into the bar, said hello to Mac, pulled out the gun and shot him.

[B]

Just like that?

[A]

Just like that.

[B]

Oh, my goodness. Hey, he's liable to come back here and shoot me. Oh. You know, I just had a friend. When I didn't let him in, I just had a feeling that he was gonna do something like this. He had trouble on his mind.

[A]

If he told you he had a gun, he must have had trouble on his mind. The detectives reported the information they had obtained to Lt. King and he instructed them to remain at the place on a plant in the event the husband, Phil Cotella, did show up. Two more detectives were sent over to the address to cover the outside of the building. In addition, a detailed and accurate description of the suspect was given to each patrolman as he made his hourly ring into the station house. At 4:40am Patrolman Mercado spotted a man loitering in a doorway on 75th street near Second Avenue. He approached the man to question him. As he neared the doorway, the man fired two shots. The officer both missed. The man, who appeared to answer the description of Phil Kella, ran into the rubble left by the wrecking of a half square block of old buildings to make room for a new junior high school. Patrolman Coley and Eisman in secretar number four heard the shots and joined the chase. While Mercado and Eisman followed the suspect into the pile of bricks and stones, Coley called into the communications bureau by radio for assistance. The area was quickly surrounded. At five in the morning, Lieutenant Keen, Sergeant Waters and I held a conference on the sidewalk alongside a park detective cruiser. All right. There two things we can do, Captain. We can either go in and get them, or we can wait for him to come out. We could wait a long time for them to come out, man. All right, stay behind cover. I'm a want to get your head shut off. He's well protected in there. Since he is coming, we can't see him. That's the only thing I don't like, Captain. You want to try to talk him out, man, I don't know how much good talking he's going to do with this fellow. Take a lot more than talking if you ask me, Captain. Well, we can try. We stay here too long, we'll have the whole neighborhood up and on the street. That won't help us any. Sure Won't we better go in after him? Oh, God. Who are those two men over there? Get him over here. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Novak. All right, Mado, take a walk around. Tell all the men we're going in after the guy. Tell them to stay out, get behind color. All right, McCada, get going. Yes, sir. I get this. I'm only going to say it once. Feel the wind through that break in the fence. We're working three teams of two. Sergeant Waters, knife battalion, Novak, silicon, Captain Kelly and myself. As soon as we get inside, I want to talk to him. I want to see if I can talk him out. Watch yourself some cover and get behind it. This boy killed one man tonight and he took two shots at a police officer. Not going to stop now. All right, ma', am, your friend. Okay, let's go. Okay, hold it. All right. The Captain and I are going to head straight for that pile of bricks. Okay, Captain. All right, with me. Italian. Novak, that way, behind that stack of doors. Sergeant, you see your cover. But the timber is down there. I can. All right, Captain, let's go. Okay. All right. Go on, captain. Okay, Tally, you set? Dragon, stay low. Where do you think he is, man? Try to find out something. Bill, what do you say? You had a good night? Want to call it quits? What do you say, sir? Let's move up a little bit now. Okay, now, go ahead. You cover me. Okay, now, go ahead, Matt. Got that? Well, that's a logical spot for him. Over there. Yeah. There he is. Duck. Stay down. There he is, Ben. There he is. I see him. Hell, you better call it a night. What do you say?

[B]

All right, Come on out here.

[A]

Put your hands high in the air. Come out here. Don't get at me. There he comes. Come on, Phil, this way. I'm coming. I'm coming. Don't shoot at me. Stop there. Throw that gun over here. Come on, Philip. All right, come ahead. All right, stand right there. Okay, let's go. Keep those hands up. Okay, we've got him. Took you a long time to get smart, Phil. This guy will never be smart. What do you think it gets you to kill somebody over a woman? I don't care about her. There are lots of women. You know what she did? She gave my best suit of clothes. My very best suit of clothes. That rubbed me the wrong way. I wondered what it was, Phil. I knew it must have been something serious. When he placed facing Sergeant Water. Well, where's this? Yeah, yeah. Is it a fire hydrant or is it down? Yeah, really spotting, huh? And so it goes around the clock through the week, every day, every year. The police precinct in the City of New York is a flesh and blood merry go around. Anyone can catch the brass ring, or the brass ring can catch anyone. 21st Precinct A factual account of the way the police work in the world's largest city is presented with the official cooperation of the Patrolmans of the Denver Loach association, an organization of more than 20,000 members of the Police Department, City of New York. Everett Sloan in the role of Captain Kennelly. Ken lynch as Lieutenant King. Featured in tonight's cast were Hillary Parks, Eileen Palmer, Harold Stone, Larry Haynes, Bill Lipton, Bill Quinn, John Sylvester and Bill Smith. Written and directed by Stanley Nist. Produced for CBS Radio by John Ives, George Bryan.